


Petals and Ink

by heffermonkey



Series: Petals and Ink [1]
Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, Alternate Universe - Tattoo Parlor, Blow Jobs, Community: 1-million-words, Family Secrets, First Time, Flirting, Friendship, Gen, Long-Term Relationship(s), M/M, Pre-Relationship, Scars, Secrets, Trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-04
Updated: 2015-05-22
Packaged: 2018-03-21 05:14:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 31
Words: 39,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3679110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heffermonkey/pseuds/heffermonkey
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mary McGarrett opens a flower shop (Petals) across the road to a tattoo parlor (Ink) which is owned by Danny Williams.</p><p>Written for a Flash Challenge at 1 Million Words Community for AU fics.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

“Hi,” Danny said brightly as he walked through the door, balancing a tray of coffees in one hand and a cake box in the other.

Steve looked over at him from the counter, sizing him up and down quickly. “Hi.”

“Thought I’d officially welcome you to the neighbourhood seeing as this is the first day of opening,” Danny said, putting the coffees and cake down in front of him before extending a hand. “Danny Williams, I own ‘Ink’ across the street.

Steve raised his brows in surprise, shaking his hand. “You uh – _you_ own ‘Ink’?” 

Danny looked momentarily offended but seemed to brush off the implication, “Yeah, it’s my place.”

“I’m sorry, it’s just you don’t look like a guy who owns a tattoo parlour,” Steve pointed out hurriedly, realising as he said it how bad it sounded. He clamped his lips together, thankful Danny seemed to laugh off his remark.

“You don’t look like the type of guy who would own a flower shop,” Danny replied with a laugh.

“I don’t,” Steve quickly explained. “It’s my sisters.”

“I know,” Danny said with a nod, laughing again and Steve realised he was being teased. He wasn’t quite sure how to take the guy. “I met Mary as she was getting this place fitted out and set up.”

“Oh,” Steve frowned with a shake of his head, “Then why did you-.”

“Hey, if a guy like me can own a tat shop, why can’t a guy like you own a Flower shop?” Danny waved a finger at him.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to offend,” Steve apologised. “But c’mon man, you’re wearing a shirt and from what I can see – no ink.”

“Not where you can see,” Danny said with a knowing smile. “Anyway, I prefer to put them on people than get them myself. Nice inks by the way. Maybe you can stop by sometime and I can add to them.”

“Yeah maybe,” Steve nodded, looking at him curiously. He was itching to know now, where Danny had his tattoos but before he could ask, Mary appeared from the back shop.

“Danny, hey,” She grinned as she joined them. 

“Hi, wanted to bring you a little opening day boost,” Danny told her. “Cappuccino and some chocowoccydoodah bites.”

“My favourites,” Mary exclaimed. “Ah thank you Danny.”

“No problem,” Danny said as she gave him a small hug. “Hey I gotta go, only skipped out for five minutes but I got an appointment coming. Go easy on the brownies and I’ll see you later. Nice to meet you Steve.”

“You too,” Steve nodded as Danny left. Steve watched him through the window as he crossed the street.

“Uh bro,” Mary said, nudging him with her elbow. “Earth to Steve, come in Steve.”

“What?” Steve blinked as Danny disappeared in his shop. “Sorry, did you say something?”

Mary giggled and picked up her cappuccino, “I said he’s cute isn’t he?”

“Cute, uh, yeah I guess, if that’s your type,” Steve shrugged, reaching for the cake box. “So what’s with these brownies.”

Mary laughed again and shook her head again. She imagined Steve would be talking about getting a new tattoo very very soon.

~ fin ~


	2. Chapter 2

“Hey, Steve?” Danny asked as he joined the line at the coffee house. Steve was ahead of him, perusing the chocolate delights on offer. Steve swallowed down, composed himself and turned with a friendly smile.

“Hi,” Steve smiled. There was an awkward pause as they looked at one another before he shuffled forward a little, the line slowly going down. “How’s business?”

Danny shrugged, “Ah you know how it is. You have busy days and quiet days, todays a quiet one. I’ll probably shut up shop early and head home if I don’t have any walk-ins. Mary seems to be doing well.”

“Yeah, she gets a lot of business through her website,” Steve nodded. The person in front of him had ordered and stood to one side, so he stepped up and ordered two Cappuccino’s and a box of rocky roads.

“You should try the baklava,” Danny said over his shoulder. “It’s divine.”

“Yeah we tried it last week,” Steve grinned in agreement. “Mary seems to be working her way through the different stuff, trying to decide on her favourite.”

“I thought that was the choccywoccydoodah bites,” Danny laughed, ordering a Mocha for himself and a piece of baklava. “There is a lot of choice.”

They stood and made small talk as they waited for their coffee, Steve got his first but hovered and waited until Danny was served and they made their way along the street back to where Danny and Mary’s shops stood almost facing one another. Mary was outside, setting out plants and rearranging some of her wares when she saw them, giving them a grin.

“Hey,” She smiled to Danny as she took her coffee off Steve. “How are you?”

“Great,” Danny replied. “Yourself?”

“Fantastic,” Mary nodded. “Getting a lot of orders in, I have a busy weekend ahead. Steve’s gonna lend a hand, right bro?”

Danny turned to Steve with a twinkle in his eye, “Can’t see you setting up bouquets babe.”

Steve look flustered, half choking on his coffee. He pretended it was because of Danny’s remark, but it was really because of the way Danny had just called him ‘babe’, like it was the most normal thing in the world to say to a person.

“No uh, I’m just helping with deliveries,” Steve quickly said as he spluttered.

“Well doh,” Danny shook his head at him before looking at Mary. “Does this guy have a funny bone in his body or know how to take a joke?”

“Uh, hello, have you met my brother? No!” Mary teased impishly.

“What is it you actually do Steve?” Danny asked curiously. It was only the second time they’d met and their first time had been fleeting.

“That’s classified,” Mary winked with a giggle. Steve rolled his eyes and nudged her with his elbow.

“I’m Navy, SEALs,” Steve explained to Danny. “On downtime, think they figured I had vacation days owing.”

“Ah military, that explains it,” Danny said.

“Explains what?” Steve asked with a frown, straightening up. He felt like he was being insulted somehow.

“Well, you know,” Danny waved his hand at him. “You’re kinda tightly wound. Got a tough exterior, hard to pin down.”

Mary snorted, nodding her head hard in agreement, “Yup, that’s Steve.”

“Shut up Mare,” Steve growled, turning to face Danny squarely. “Tightly wound? What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Just, you know, you’re a little-,” Danny shrugged, looking poker-faced and stiffening his shoulders as Steve loomed over him.

“Obnoxious?” Mary laughed. 

Danny smirked but shook his head, “No, nothing like that. I’m just saying, a person says a joke or teases a little and you’re like, ready to begin world war three.”

Steve glowered, wondering how any of this was meant to be complimentary. With Mary laughing, wiping tears from her eyes and Danny looking innocent as he spoke, it made him very uncomfortable. He didn’t reply to whatever Danny was trying to say, taking a sip of coffee instead before thrusting the cake box towards Mary.

“Mare, I need to get going,” He said, quickly changing the subject. “I’ll call you later about this weekend.”

“Steve,” Mary whined as she took the box. “C’mon, he didn’t mean anything.”

“God no, I – I honestly didn’t,” Danny began, tripping over his words as Steve began walking off, digging into his pocket for his keys.

“It’s fine, but I really do need to get going, I got a meeting,” Steve informed them. “Later Danny, it was – interesting, seeing you again.”

Steve marched off quickly without turning around, his cheeks felt red and he kept his head down, muttering to himself. If he was honest, he understood what Danny meant, but still, it felt bad that that was how the guy thought of him. He just didn’t get his humour, Danny seemed the type of person who said what he was thinking as soon as he thought it.

He got in his car and drove off.

“Damn,” Danny sighed with a shake of his head. “I totally blew that didn’t I?”

“Uh, shoot yourself in the foot often Danny?” Mary asked him blithely. “Do you have any idea how to talk to people?”

Danny shook his head and shrugged lamely, “I told you I wasn’t good at this sort of thing. Word vomit, that’s what it is.”

“Well you’re making sense to me,” Mary pointed out to him. “And have been for the last two weeks getting to know each other. What the hell was that?”

“I was being honest,” Danny told her. “It was - a compliment.”

“ _You’re tightly wound_ is a compliment?” Mary exclaimed. “Jesus Jersey, what the hell kind of people have you dated?”

“The wrong kind obviously seeing as I’m single,” Danny shot back. “I’m sorry okay, I like him so much he fried my brain a little. I mean c’mon, he’s cute even when he’s angry.”

Mary scrunched up her nose, shaking her head at him, “I told you brah, I’m not talking to you if you’re going to talk about my brother that way.”

“You can’t deny he isn’t handsome,” Danny pointed out to her.

“No, of course he is,” Mary said with a hint of pride before frowning at him again. “But still – eww.”

“Fine, I won’t go on about how I really want to jump him,” Danny laughed at her face as he said that. “Do you really think I’ve blown my chance?”

Mary looked at him, raising her brows, “Uh I told you, Steve finds it hard to trust people. We both do but he’s the worst. You need to be straight with him, not dance around the subject. You might still have a chance, but you’re gonna have to do a hell of a lot to win him over now Danny. More than you did before.”


	3. Chapter 3

Steve avoided going to Mary’s store for the rest of the week but she had a big list of orders on the weekend and had begged him to help with deliveries. He arrived promptly on the Saturday morning to find her looking frazzled and it wasn’t even 9am.

“Steve! Thank God,” Mary shouted when he walked in the door. “Things just – it’s a nightmare. Jenna’s car broke down and she’s stuck until someone comes to tow it, I’ve been telling her for weeks to get that hunk of junk looked at. I need to get these orders on the road and they aren’t going to be delivered on time, I know they aren’t. Shit what’ll I do – should I call people? Explain, or just get them out. I got orders all over the area, which is why I was relying Jenna, so you could both be delivering simultaneously.”

“Mare, calm down,” Steve said grabbing her shoulders. “Slow down, you won’t get anything done if you panic about it. Is everything ready to go?”

“Yes but Steve – the orders, you were talking some, Jenna the others. You can’t be in two places at the same time. I’m gonna have to take some, which means closing the store, which means I won’t be working on this afternoons orders until I get back, which means they’ll go out late.”

Steve squeezed her shoulders and stood straight, giving the situation some thought. “Okay, if I can get us another driver, then we’ll be back on track right? We can deliver the orders while you hold down the fort here until Jen shows.”

“Yeah, I guess,” Mary nodded, calming a little. “But it’s a Saturday Steve, who wants to come deliver flowers for me on a Saturday when they can be sleeping, or hanging at the beach?”

Steve stood straight and thought over their options, thinking of the people they could call who could possibly drop everything in an emergency. He looked around and his eyes landed on Danny who was strolling along the sidewalk to open his place up.

“Give me a minute,” He said, squeezing her shoulders. “Just open as normal and don’t worry, we’ll figure it out.”

He left her store and headed across the small street to where Danny was rolling up the shutter of his front door.

“Danny,” Steve said coming up behind him. “Hi.”

Danny turned around in surprise, looking at him. “Steve, um, hi.”

“Hi,” Steve said again quickly. “You got appointments this morning?”

“Uh yeah, one for sure. Usually get a few walk ins on the weekend though,” Danny shrugged with a shake of his head. “Why?”

“Mare is having a meltdown,” Steve quickly explained. “Jenna is gonna be late and there are more deliveries than we can both handle. We need a driver ASAP, I was wondering if you know anyone or, I dunno, can help out maybe?”

“Sure, come in, let’s take a look at the book,” Danny said as he unlocked the door. He led the way inside and walked around the counter, flipping open a book and skimming it with his eyes. “Yeah Kono has someone in at 9.30, I got one at 11 so I’d just be hanging around for walk ins.”

“Morning Danny,” Kono said, breezing through the door with two coffees in hand. She handed one over and smiled at Steve politely. “Hey.”

“Hi,” Steve smiled, looking at Danny hopefully. “So can you help or-?”

“Sure,” Danny assured him. “Kono, Mare’s having some trouble this morning, needs an extra pair of hands. Mind watching the place while I help for a few hours.”

“Might not even be that long, we’re just waiting for Jenna,” Steve added quickly.

“Sure no problem,” Kono nodded in agreement. “Just let me get set up and-.”

“Yeah of course,” Danny nodded, looking at Steve. “I’ll be about twenty minutes.”

“Thanks man, seriously,” Steve said with a grin. “It’s appreciated.”

~

“You okay? Need a break?” Danny asked. He’d been working on a design for a few hours and sat back to scrutinise it properly.

“Nah brah, I’m good,” His client, Sang Min, replied looking at his arm. “Looking good too.”

“Yeah it’s coming together,” Danny agreed with a smile. “Shouldn’t take much longer.”

Danny bent down to start again when movement caught his eye and he looked up, seeing Steve hovering at a respectable distance.

“Hey,” Danny smiled at him. “You get lost or something?”

Steve smirked with a shake of his head, “We did give you the least amount to deliver. I just wanted to come over and say thanks.”

“Any time,” Danny shrugged. He looked at Steve but when he didn’t say anything for a minute or so he motioned to his client. “Uh, was there something else, because I’m kinda in the middle of something.”

“No, yeah of course, I’ll let you get back to work,” Steve waved a hand nonchalantly. “Nice ink by the way.”

“You too brah, I’m liking the style,” Sang Min said as he eyed Steve’s arms. “Don’t see that so much round here.”

“Yeah, great detail on them,” Danny agreed. “I’d ask for a photograph so I could lift a sketch but I’d feel like I was copying someone elses work.”

“You could always incorporate it into your own designs,” Sang Min pointed out. “You got skills New Jersey.”

“Yeah maybe,” Danny nodded, looking him in the eye. “We finishing this?”

Sang nodded and sat still as Danny got a drop more ink to apply.

“Danny designed this one brah,” Sang Min said to Steve over Danny’s bent form. “He’s got talent – for a haole.”

“Remember this haole is currently permanently marking up your skin Min,” Danny muttered as he continued his trade. “Accidents happen, even with my steady hands.”

Sang Min smirked as Steve stepped up for a closer look. Min eyed Steve’s also, though they were half covered by the sleeves of his t-shirt.

“You designed those?” Steve said in appreciation at the art on Min’s arms. “That’s fantastic work Danny.”

“Yeah not bad for a kid in New Jersey who was always getting an ass whooping for vandalising walls with graffiti,” Danny laughed, sitting up a moment and wiping the spot he’d just finished.

“I’ll leave you to it,” Steve said having eyed the work. “Great ink brah, I’ll have to see the finish product once it’s done.”

“Got a couple more sittings,” Min nodded. “But thanks. You two bruddah.”

“I’ll speak to you later when you aren’t busy Danny,” Steve said, backing away. “Thanks again, we owe you.”

“Buy me a drink and we’ll call it even,” Danny said without turning around from his work.

Steve stopped short and stared at the back of his head. Min smirked and glanced at him with a knowing look but refrained from making a remark. 

“Uh, yeah, sure,” Steve stuttered out. “Any time.”

“How about tonight, seven thirty at Aqua?” Danny suggested.

Steve could have choked, but Sang Min looked quite amused and so he cleared his throat and hoped he didn’t look as out of depth as he felt.

“Seven thirty, great,” Steve said with a sharp nod. “See you there.”

“It’s a date,” Danny said, still not looking around.

Steve left before he could say anything else. Kono watched him walk over to Mary’s before snorting as she came over to look at Danny’s progress.

“Gees brah, way to get a date,” She giggled at him.

“Quite smooth for a haole,” Sang min agreed. 

“I wish I’d seen him first,” Kono sighed.

“I’ll let Adam know that Kono,” Danny laughed, sitting back and looking at them both. “You think I came on too strong?”

“No,” Kono shook her head. “I don’t. But he might.”


	4. Chapter 4

“Mare, quit calling me,” Steve groaned as he answered the fifth call in the last hour from his sister. 

“Just – be yourself okay but not so much that you get offended by his humour. He has this habit of putting his foot where his mouth is and you make him a little nervous,” Mary explained.

“Mary, you’ve known him for two weeks,” Steve pointed out to her.

“Yeah and I’ve gotten to know him quite well in that time,” Mary answered. “I know he likes you, he’s always talking about you.”

“He is? What does he say about me?” Steve asked curiously.

“Ah no, I’m not saying anything more,” Mary retorted. “That could lead to trouble. Just go have a good time tonight and call me in the morning, I want to know all the dirty details.”

“Mary it’s a couple of drinks,” Steve pointed out to her.

“It’s a date,” Mary squealed in delight. “You – on a date. How longs it been?”

“I’m hanging up now. Don’t call me again unless it is an emergency.”

~

Steve felt nervous, which was ridiculous because he knew Danny and it was just a couple of drinks, that was all. Well, Danny had said a date, which made Steve think he was interested and Mary had said Danny had been asking about him. But still, they didn’t know each other, so it would just be ‘getting to know you’ drinks, nothing more, wouldn’t it?

He got a cab to Aqua, a popular bar near the waterfront. He checked his watch for the millionth time, it was only 7.15, so he took a slow walk and checked his phone, seeing a message from Mary which he ignored and nothing from Danny. Was it too early to message and say he’d arrived? He was coming to the front and was about to call him when someone stepped in front of him, ignoring all rules of personal space.

“Hey, I was just about to call you,” Danny smiled at him as Steve took a small step back before they collided.

“Oh, uh, yeah me too,” Steve said, holding up his phone before he pocketed it. “Hi.”

Danny seemed to be taking him in, looking him up and down before he grinned again. “You look great.”

Steve smiled at the compliment, “Thanks, you scrub up nice yourself.”

“Thanks,” Danny laughed, “We going in?”

Steve nodded and they headed inside, it was quiet, people we just beginning to filter in, so they ordered quick and bagged themselves a booth that had a view of the beach and ocean beyond. Danny poured them both beers from the jug they’d ordered.

“So,” He smiled, sliding a glass over to Steve. Steve took it, smiling awkwardly; there was that moment where they both watched the other. It was strange breaking the ice when they knew one another already, it shouldn’t have felt that difficult but they still seemed to be figuring the other out.

“Thanks,” Steve said as he picked up his beer and taking a drink, hoping a few gulps would help calm him down and really, why the hell was he nervous? It was Danny after all, they were friends. “Did you finish that guys tat?”

“Ah yeah, Sang Min’s,” Danny smiled, instantly animated on the subject. Steve had learned Danny was passionate not only about his craft, but the art behind it, creating the actual designs before committing them to people’s skin. Danny pulled out his phone and brought up his photo album. “He’s got another sitting but the design is all there now, just some touch ups to finish.”

He held the phone out to Steve who took it and flicked through some of the photos. Danny had an entire album dedicated to tattoos he had created.

“Wow these are amazing Danny,” Steve smiled in admiration. “You’ve got talent, great eye for detail.”

“Thanks,” Danny smiled coyly. “I used to sketch and draw all the time as a kid, but I didn’t think it would ever be something I used when I was grown up, you know what I mean?”

“Yeah I hear you,” Steve nodded in understanding. “How did you get into tattooing?”

“I dunno if it was by accident or sorta fate,” Danny smiled, taking a drink of beer and leaning back in his seat, looking at him over the table. “Where I lived in New Jersey – we weren’t far from a small block of local stores, you know the kind everyone in the neighbourhood frequents. Every place knows your name and family history. So one of the places was a tattoo parlor and I guess I was drawn to all the art on the walls. My neighbourhood wasn’t exactly the kind of place a kid could get much inspiration and encouragement for being an artist, so I was drawn to it more than any normal kid. I used to stand at the window and watch people get tattoos and just saw the skin as an artist’s canvas. It’s weird because I only have a few myself and I’ve never really gotten the bug you know? That taste to get more – you know what I mean?”

“Yeah I hear you,” Steve nodded knowingly. “If it wasn’t for the strict rules in the Navy, I’d have more myself. I was probably pushing it with the arm tats like they are, thankfully I didn’t get into too much trouble over them.”

“That because you’re too much of an asset to them?” Danny smiled.

“Maybe,” Steve smiled with a small laugh. “It’d be nice to think so.”

“So SEAL’s huh? Must have been tough,” Danny said conversationally. “Did you always want to join up?”

“Our dad was a cop,” Steve explained to him. “So he really ingrained into me the idea of service. My great grandfather was serving at Pearl when it was bombed, so we have service in the family. I guess being surrounded by ocean and having that history, yeah I always wanted to join up. Never expected to join the SEAL’s though – it is a tough gig and there were moments I thought I wouldn’t make it through training. It was brutal, but I got through somehow.”

“Grit and determination,” Danny said in thought.

“Yeah that, not wanting to disappoint my family, not wanting to fail,” Steve shrugged. “All manner of things got me through it – I hate to lose, I got a competitive streak.”

“That doesn’t surprise me,” Danny laughed lightly. “You and Mary both.”

“Yeah, for all there’s a few years between us,” Steve laughed, “We’re very alike in many ways. Only she’s more stubborn than me and very independent which can be a headache at times. Up until a few years ago she was always getting in trouble somehow, then she seemed to have a change, a breakthrough. She put herself through night school to get a business degree, then she did a class on floristry, worked in a few places to learn the business and decided to go her own way. It’s been tough, but she did it and I’m proud that she’s coming out on top.”

“She’s a great person,” Danny smiled at Steve’s evident pride in his sister. “I’m glad she set up shop across from me, she’s good for the neighbourhood. She’s well-liked by everyone and a credit to the community. Reminds me of home, those places I was talking about.”

“I’m glad she set up shop there too,” Steve said, leaning on the table and looking him in the eye. “Else we’d not have met one another.”

“Well there is that too,” Danny grinned, leaning forward himself. He took another drink from his glass and set it aside, hands resting on the table. “Though I thought I may have blown it last week the way you stormed off in a mood.”

“You called me uptight and obnoxious,” Steve pointed out to him. “Not exactly the best way to win a person over.”

“And yet you proved my point by storming off,” Danny laughed with a shake of his head. “It was kinda cute actually.”

“Yeah?” Steve asked, putting his head to one side in thought as Danny laughed again. “You’ve got weird taste New Jersey.”

Danny chuckled again, “I know right, I’m here with you.”

“You wanting me to leave in a mood again,” Steve asked him. “Because I’m quite capable.”

“It’s a win win for me,” Danny smiled and Steve noticed his eyes had a definite sparkle in them when he was being playful and mischievous. He liked it, liked how Danny flirted but wasn’t in your face with it. “I get to stare at your ass as you walk away. That ain’t a bad thing.”

“You been checking out my ass?” Steve asked him.

“Well you wouldn’t understand,” Danny waved a hand at him. Steve had learned Danny did a lot of things with his hands when he spoke, like they were connected to his speech patterns. He liked that too. “I mean you don’t see it, but yeah, I’m not going to lie, I look.”

“At least you’re honest,” Steve smiled. “I only hope you like.”

“Wouldn’t be looking if I didn’t like,” Danny pointed out to him. “Certainly wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t hopeful to get a chance to more than look.”

Steve felt himself flush a little, it was nice to have the attention and for someone to be so blatantly obvious about their intentions. It had been a while since anyone was so honest and open with him, even if it was about superficial things like their looks and attractions.

“I think maybe there’ll be a chance of more,” Steve promised him. “Although I’d be lying if I said I didn’t think we’d be here on a date right now. I didn’t even think you liked me.”

“Seriously? I was giving you all the signals and-,” Danny waved his hand between them again with a frown. “Nothing?”

“Uh – obnoxious, uptight,” Steve pointed to himself. “You remember that right?”

Danny grinned, reaching over and taking his hand, bringing it down to rest on the table, their fingers interlocking softly, “Yeah there was that. I didn’t say it to offend you, might have known you’d take it the wrong way. But still, you never figured I like you?”

“I’ll be honest, I don’t have a successful track record when it comes to dating,” Steve admitted, squeezing his fingers softly. “I’m not so good with the signals stuff, I think Mary was dropping hints for days before she basically said ‘he likes you, ask him out’.”

“And still I was the one to ask you out,” Danny chuckled. “Here I was thinking the big, tough Navy SEAL was going to sweep me off my feet, not be all shy and insecure.”

“Don’t judge a book by its cover Daniel,” Steve smirked. “There’s a lot you don’t know about me.”

“Same about you and me,” Danny agreed. “But I’d like the chance to know more. I think we’d both enjoy the benefits of getting to know one another a whole lot better.”

“Oh yes, there are the benefits,” Steve nodded, their fingers interlocking tighter.


	5. Chapter 5

They took things slow and easy, neither wanting to rush into anything and both having bad track records when it came to relationships. Over the course of a couple of months they went out a few times a week, from restaurants to hiking, getting to know one another and enjoying each other’s company. They were careful with intimacy too, not jumping straight into bed. Kissing had become a particular favourite past time for the both of them, but it was obvious sex wasn’t going to be off the table for long period of time. The kissing became more frantic, energetic, passionate moments no matter where they were; heavy petting became getting one another off, although they were still to get naked together.

Steve was more eager to get Danny into bed than Danny was, or so Steve had begun to suspect. At first he just put it down to jitters and nerves – it didn’t matter how old you were, the first time was always a nervous moment, but Steve wanted that with Danny anyway. But anytime he pushed for anything more than a make out session on the sofa, Danny managed to distract from the idea any way he could. Steve decided after it happened again and again to be upfront and as him about it, if only to understand Danny’s reservations.

They were at Danny’s place, a small, modest one bedroom bungalow, open plan and homey. After a home cooked dinner – Steve had discovered not only could he draw, but he made a mean Bolognese – and a movie, their attention turned to one another. Danny had turned the TV off and slid onto his lap, knees either side of his hips and as they kissed, Steve could feel Danny’s cock pressing against his stomach through his pants.

Steve pulled back panting and breathing heavy, feeling Danny’s chest rise and fall against his. Steve tried again, like countless times before, to move things on, “Why don’t we take this to the bedroom?” He asked softly as Danny caught his breath.

He felt Danny tighten, glanced up and saw his face, his eyes, betraying that nervous tension he always got when Steve suggested sex. He sat back a little, still on Steve’s lap, giving a small grimace.

“You don’t have to,” Steve assured him. “We can wait, only I think it’s getting harder and harder for both of us, I know I’m ready but if you aren’t-.”

Danny smiled softly and squeezed his arm, “It’s just – there’s something I haven’t told you about me. Something that might change things.”

“Yeah? Try me,” Steve said, leaning closer to press a soft kiss to his lips.

Danny took a deep breath and looked at him, unsure whether to continue. Steve remained quiet and still, wondering what it was that had Danny all nervous and uncertain.

“I was in a car accident a few years ago,” Danny explained quietly. “Back in Jersey, it was a bad one.”

“I’m sorry,” Steve said, looking at him closely. “You were hurt?”

“Yeah I uh, well let’s just say I was pretty broken up by it physically. Early on they weren’t even sure I’d walk again, but that was because I was unconscious for a few days and they couldn’t determine the full effect of the injuries I’d gotten,” Danny told him. “Anyway, that obviously isn’t the case. But like I said, I was pretty broken up and my body, well I healed but it left a lot of scars.”

He fell quiet and glanced at Steve with a worried look. Steve stared at him, trying to understand before he got with the program. 

“Wait you – you’re worried about me seeing your scars?” Steve asked him with a small frown.

“I know it’s stupid but it’s also - look I get self-conscious about it,” Danny admitted quickly. “It’s one of the reasons I don’t show my tats to people. One of them got messed up because of the scarring, sorta all twisted and stuff you know.”

“Yeah I get it,” Steve nodded in understanding. “I get why it’s an issue for you. We can keep things slow as you need okay? Seriously.”

“That’s the problem,” Danny laughed. “Part of me really, really doesn’t want to keep things slow.”

“Oh yeah,” Steve grinned. “Which part is that I wonder.” 

Danny gave him a small push and rolled his eyes, “Not what I meant babe.”

“Don’t lie to me Williams, I know you want to get me into bed,” Steve laughed, leaning in for another kiss but Danny evaded him with a hand on his chest.

“I’d rather get this over with now before we take things further,” Danny said seriously “I mean if you think – if you think I’m too ugly or something- at least we haven’t gotten too far before you walk away.”

“Jesus Danny,” Steve said, realising how much Danny believed he would just walk away.

“You think I’m over-reacting?” Danny said with a raise of his brows. “It’s been known to happen, on more than one occasion.”

“I’m sorry,” Steve sympathised. “But that’s not who I am.”

“Maybe not,” Danny shook his head with a shrug. “Or maybe we’re both kidding ourselves. You know I’ve fallen for you, but now all I can think is that I should have done this ages ago, before I fell so hard.”

Before Steve could reply Danny stood up and stepped away from him. He turned to face him and began unbuttoning his shirt slowly.

“In the accident, a pileup. Some of the cars got so messed up, they were just twisted metal and junk,” Danny spoke slowly, quietly. “I got a little lucky, I was a few cars back so I didn’t bear the brunt of the impact as much as people ahead. It was a tanker, it lost control and ended up on the wrong side of the highway. I swerved, flipped, ended up right side but facing the wrong way and the last thing I remember is a red Buick speeding into me and the world spinning at a hundred miles an hour. They told me there was a fire because of the tank and I ended up close to the flames. Whole left side of my thighs and sides got burned just from the heat before they cut me out.”

Danny pulled the shirt apart, down from his shoulders and off his wrists. Steve stared up at him and let his eyes drift downwards. Danny had a broad chest and shoulders, strong and well defined with muscles. He thinned at the waist and Steve could see the scars he was talking about. Burn scars mottled his skin from his belly button and around his left side, almost to his armpit and disappearing around the back and down past his hips to under his pants waistline. Steve has seen scars like it, guys caught in bomb blasts or vehicles that had been attacked and set alight. Danny’s were pretty severe.

“They used skin grafts on the worst but,” Danny continued with a shrug, looking at him warily. “It was a big area and it isn’t like it’s my face or anything. I’ve learned to live with it, but not everybody can.”

“How far does it go down and around?” Steve asked him carefully, keeping his tone neutral. He didn’t want Danny to freak out or think he was rejecting him.

Danny smiled and went to unbutton his pants, “Is this just a ploy to get me to take my pants off Steven?”

Steve smirked and stood up, closing the gap between them, “Maybe.”

He stayed so they were a little apart and looked Danny in the eye, “Can I touch?”

Danny looked nervous at that but gave a small nod of his head and took Steve’s hand, pulling it closer to him and resting it on his side. The skin under his fingers felt strange to Steve, raised and bumpy as he let his fingers drift. He heard Danny let out a hard breath that he’d been holding and gave him a small smile.

“Still not seeing these tats you’ve got hidden,” Steve teased to lighten the mood. 

Danny smirked and turned a little to his right. “Had a dragon on my lower back and curling down onto my upper thigh. Guess it’s kinda ironic that fire is what deformed it.”

Steve looked closely, the burn scars seemed more extensive on his back, covering the lower half to his spine and puckering there, again dipping down under the waistline of his pants. He could see the remains of the tattoo amongst the scarred flesh, but barely. Danny had another tattoo, on his right shoulder, a series of numbers and some writing, he thought Italian maybe, underneath. Steve lifted his hand and brushed his fingers over it. 

“What about this one? What’s it represent?” He asked curiously.

Danny shivered from his touch and turned quickly back to him, giving him a nervous glance, “That’s another story. Not sure I’m ready to tell you all my secrets right away Steve.”

Steve considered pressing for answers but at Danny’s serious expression, he left it, “Okay. Any more to discover?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know,” Danny laughed lightly before sobering again, stepping back a little. “So this is me. Thoughts so far?”

“I’m thinking you have a lot to learn about me if you think those scars are enough to turn me off,” Steve pointed out to him, stepping up to close the gap and putting an arm around his waist. 

“Not exactly the nicest body to look at though is it,” Danny said quietly. “I mean c’mon Steve -.”

Steve silenced him with a finger to his lips before he cupped his jaw and kissed him carefully and softly, “I think it’s beautiful.”

“Shut up,” Danny shook his head but didn’t pull away from him. “Don’t tease me, be honest.”

“It’s you, it’s just who you are,” Steve retorted gently. “You were in an accident and it changed some of you. I think the same of you now as I did ten minutes ago before you took your shirt off, and that is that you’re extremely attractive, damn sexy and fuck if we don’t get naked and in bed soon I’m not sure what I’ll do.”

“That’s a lot of thinking for a guy who is a bit of a caveman,” Danny teased with a laugh. “All very focused though.”

“Oh I’m very focused,” Steve agreed with a grin. “So now that I’ve passed your, I dunno, test, and really how have people failed? How could anyone walk away from you? They’re assholes, but I win so I shouldn’t complain much. Can we get to the naked making out?”

“Passed my test? Really?” Danny shook his head at him with a smile.

“Yeah, stripping off your shirt,” Steve said with a nod. “Showing off your body and expecting me to leave – you trippin’ Jersey? I’m waiting for the rest to come off.”

“Uh, it’s highly unfair that you’re still wearing clothes,” Danny pointed out to him.

“You’ve seen me without my shirt on,” Steve pointed out to him.

Danny shook his head, “Uh, uh, seeing you at the beach doesn’t count.”

Steve grinned and proceeded to strip of out of his shirt, tossing it on the couch, “I think it does count, but there you go anyway.”

Danny stared long and hard at his body before looking at him with a sudden nervousness in his eyes. He backed up and made his way into his bedroom before Steve had a chance to say or do anything more. Steve frowned and followed him, realising Danny might be freaking out more than he’d let on because of his scars.


	6. Chapter 6

“Danny,” Steve said as he reached out for him. Danny had his back to him and he could see better how the scarring spread over his back. Steve put his arms around him gently and nuzzled his mouth against the back of his neck. Danny remained tense but didn’t pull away and Steve counted that as a win.

“Sorry, it’s just – you’re so – you know and I’m-,” Danny said, tripping over his words.

“Is this me walking away?” Steve asked as he held him tighter. “Is this me rejecting you?”

“Is it you taking pity on me?” Danny replied. Steve felt a buzz of anger at that and pulled back from him so they could face one another.

“If you think that then maybe we should stop before this goes any further,” Steve said firmly. “I’m falling for you, pretty damn hard, but if you’re going to twist that into something like pity – if you think that’s the person I am, you don’t know me at all.”

“I’m sorry,” Danny said quickly, putting a hand on his chest. “You don’t know how hard this is.”

“I think I’m getting an idea,” Steve nodded in agreement. Danny obviously had issues, that probably went deeper than his hang-ups on his physical appearance. People’s reactions obviously hadn’t helped in the years since his accident. “But like I keep pointing out, I’m still here Danny. I’m here because I want to be with you. Remember? Bed, naked, the two of us.”

“I gotta be honest,” Danny said with a lopsided smile, glancing up at Steve with a nervous, embarrassed expression. “It’s been a while, I half expected you to be gone by now so this – kinda freaking out right now.”

“Ya think?” Steve chuckled lightly. He took both of Danny’s hands and squeezed them gently. “We take this as slow as you need, okay?”

“Huh, and here I was hoping to be ravaged by my Navy SEAL boyfriend,” Danny grinned, wriggling his eyebrows. 

Steve smiled, appreciating how Danny deflected some of his worries with humour. He was beginning to understand Danny’s ways. He’d once considered his wit a weapon, but he now saw it as a means of protection also.

“I said as slow as you need,” Steve reminded him. “Ravaged is a speed I can get behind if that’s what you want.”

Danny smiled, fingers squeezing his again before he pulled away and pushed Steve gently towards the bed, making him sit down.

“Just – hold that thought,” Danny said as he took a step back.

Steve wanted to pull him close, wanted to run his hands everywhere, let his mouth lick and suck over his broad chest and follow the contours of his muscles with his tongue. But Danny was staring at him hard and he watched as his hands blindly rested at the buckle of his belt. Steve thought maybe his hands were shaking and wondered what people had said to him to slacken his confidence so much. He thought Danny was gorgeous and part of that was his personality as well as his handsome features. He wasn’t perfect, but Steve didn’t want perfect. Ever since they’d met, Steve’s focus had been on Danny Williams and scars that yes, were definitely mean-looking, weren’t going to turn him off.

Danny unbuckled his belt and button of his pants before pulling down the zipper. Steve was more than happy to focus on his junk, but he knew Danny was worried about the scars that obviously went further down his thighs. Danny took a deep breath and pushed the pants slowly down and Steve watched quietly.

It was a strange contrast looking at his thighs. His right was strong, bulked out by muscle and a lighter shade than the rest of his skin from when he wore his shorts. The left was marred by thick scarring that spread down from his hip to mid-thigh. The scar was rough and puckered like the skin had melted and went solid again without treatment. Steve had no doubt the recovery process would have been a long, difficult and painful one. Danny kicked off his pants from his feet, underwear and all and slowly turned. The scars spread down to just over his buttock but were mainly on the front of his thigh.

Steve gave a smirk, there on the top left of Danny’s left buttock, was a small tattoo, looking like lips had kissed the skin.

“Let me guess, your first one?” Steve grinned up at him, pointing to his ass.

“I was twenty-one, first vacation with the guys, we were very very drunk,” Danny admitted with a laugh. “I dunno, I still kind of like it.”

Steve stood up as Danny turned to face him and said, “So, this is me. All of me.”

“I’m not going to say something stupid like I don’t see them,” Steve said honestly. “It isn’t something I can ignore and I’d be lying if I said I’m not shocked seeing them the first time. But they are part of you Danny and they don’t turn me off. I want you to know that.”

“Good,” Danny sighed with a shake of his head. “You have no idea how scared I was getting to this point with you.”

Steve closed the gap between them, cupping Danny’s cheek with one hand as he leaned in to kiss him. The other ran down his side and over the scars there with a gentleness that made Danny shiver. He pulled apart and gave Steve a smirk.

“Take off your pants,” Danny told him matter of factly. “Let’s get to that ‘naked in bed’ stuff you’ve been talking about all night long.”

“Can’t I enjoy this a little longer?” Steve smiled, hands running all over his torso and back like he was making a map of Danny’s lines.

Danny still looked nervous and glanced at him with an uneasy gaze, “Kinda feel like we’re on an uneven footing here babe.”

“Sorry, guess I’m just being greedy,” Steve chuckled softly. “I’ve been waiting a long time for this.”

“We’ve only been dating a month Steve,” Danny smiled with a small shake of his head.

“Yeah, but I fell for you that first time you stepped into ‘Petals’,” Steve admitted. “I had to figure out how to get us to this point.”

“Here’s me thinking you were playing hard to get,” Danny laughed in amusement. “Especially when you got all offended at me.”

“You called me uptight and thought I was an obnoxious Navy brat,” Steve reminded him.

“You took my words too literally,” Danny grinned. “Anyway, I said it because you got me all hot and bothered and I wasn’t sure you even reciprocated my feelings. Why would a guy like you fall for a guy like me?”

“Asks the guy currently naked and getting me all hot and bothered,” Steve pointed out, pulling him closer and leaning in for a kiss. “Guess we got all our wires crossed in the beginning, but we got here in the end.”

“Still trying to figure out just how we got here,” Danny said, kissing him softly. He pulled back and gave the waistline of Steve’s pants a tug. “Now get naked, please.”

Danny moved around him and went to the bed, sitting on the end and sliding back a little, eyes on Steve, waiting. Steve went to follow him but Danny smiled and shook his head playfully.

“Uh uh, this is a no clothes zone,” He informed him. “Lose ‘em.”

Steve grinned, took a final sweeping look of him as Danny leaned back on his hands and waited before he began taking off his pants. He divested of them quickly, kicking them to one side before he went to the foot of the bed. Danny was staring at him and Steve went slow, enjoying how it felt to have Danny looking at all of him. Steve hadn’t ever had to stop and think about how it would feel to be scrutinised for how he looked, he was comfortable and happy with his body, so the idea of being ashamed hadn’t ever been an issue for him. As he stood, watching Danny’s eyes moving over his naked form, he considered for a minute how it felt to be Danny and tried to understand why it was so hard for him to show his scars. Steve knew he would never truly understand or connect with Danny about that, but he tried to be mindful of it as they moved forward.

“Fuck, you’re beautiful,” Danny said quietly, looking up at him with appreciative eyes.

“Thanks,” Steve smiled lightly, crawling up onto the bed and following Danny as he scooted further back until his head connected with pillows. Steve carefully stretched over him, aware not to take things too fast. He could see something like confusion in Danny’s eyes and there was a small frown gathered on the bridge of his nose. “What’s wrong?”

“Trying to convince myself I’m not dreaming or something,” Danny said, giving a smile that barely reached his eyes.

“Be a helluva dream right?” Steve said with soft laugh. “I’m afraid you’re wide awake though baby. Let’s hope I live up to dream expectations.”

“I’m sure you’ll try your best,” Danny laughed in reply and Steve was relieved to see him beginning to relax again.

Steve ran his fingers down Danny’s side, feeling rather than seeing the scarred skin bumpy and creviced under his fingertips, “We’ll do more than our best.”


	7. Chapter 7

“Steve,” Danny said sleepily, digging him in the stomach. “- s’your cell babe.”

Steve winced at the dig and came around groggily, the sound of the phone breaking into his sleep as it vibrated on the side table. He was curled up, spooning Danny and was reluctant to move, but he managed to reach over him and snag his phone without moving too much as he answered the call. 

He could see from the caller ID it was a private number. 

“McGarrett?” He said sleepily, rubbing a hand over his eyes. A clipped voice replied quickly and he began coming around quicker as he began to understand the seriousness of the call. His replies were clipped, quick answers in return and they finally disconnected he was more or less fully awake, rolling away from Danny and sitting up, glancing at the clock radio. It was a little after 6am.

“Everything okay?” Danny asked, head still on his pillow, unmoving as he spoke.

“Yeah I uh, I gotta go,” Steve said as he inched out of the bed. “Orders from the base, I have to attend a meeting in an hour.”

“It’s the middle of the night,” Danny exclaimed, still not moving.

Steve smirked and leaned over, pressing a kiss just below his ear, “It’s early morning, stay in bed, I’m gonna use your shower okay.”

“Mm’kay,” Danny mumbled back. “Don’t leave without saying goodbye.”

“I won’t I promise,” Steve told him. He got out of bed, quickly showered and dressed, knowing he’d have to stop by his place to dress correctly and leave on time to attend the meeting. He finished fastening up his boots and paused, taking a look at Danny who had fallen back to sleep, but a promise was a promise. He went to the bed and sat by him, leaning over and kissing him again as he gave him a soft shake. “D?”

Danny stirred a little, a frown gathering on his brow from being disturbed again, “Hmm?”

“I’m going now,” Steve whispered to him. “I’ll call later today okay?”

“Yeah sure, ‘kay,” Danny mumbled back.

“Danny?” Steve smiled, watching him fight between waking and sleep.

“Hmm?” Danny sighed, barely moving and refusing to open his eyes.

“I had a great time last night,” Steve said, kissing him again. “Speak later, I promise. Bye.”

“Bye,” Danny said, snuggling into his pillow for comfort.

~

“How long will you be gone for?” Danny asked him in dismay.

“Could be a few weeks, could be more,” Steve shrugged. “Considering the nature of the mission, I’d say later rather than sooner if I’m being completely honest.”

“Will you be able to call?” Danny questioned, feeling frustrated. It felt like things had just begun coming together for them and suddenly there was the giant spanner in the works that was Steve’s career.

“There might be chances,” Steve told him. “But I can’t say when, no.”

“Fuck, this sucks,” Danny sighed, shaking his head. “It’s so unfair.”

“It’s my job Danny, I’m sorry but this – it’s my life,” Steve said, understanding his frustration. 

“No, I know, I get that,” Danny said with a nod. “The timing sucks, that’s what’s unfair.”

“Yeah I know,” Steve had to agree, putting his hands around Danny’s waist. “We can pick things right up when I get back okay?”

“Yeah, sure,” Danny replied, looking a little dejected. “Of course.”

“Hey, D,” Steve leaned down to get his full attention, looking him in the eyes. “I want to make a go of us alright? This isn’t me skipping out or anything, it’s just what I have to do.”

“Okay, yes,” Danny said, sucking in a breath and letting it go, trying to relax. “When do you leave?”

“I have to go home, pack and report in by 1500,” Steve admitted, standing straighter again.

Danny sighed again and pulled him closer, holding him tight for a moment, “Well then, I guess I’ll see you when I see you huh?”

“I guess so,” Steve said, sliding his hands up Danny’s back. He pulled back and cupped his face, tipping his head back to look at him. “Do me a favour and watch out for Mary for me.”

“Of course I will,” Danny smiled. “You do me a favour and come back in one piece.”

“I’ll try,” Steve grinned. They leaned into each other, lips connecting, the kiss a soft, gentle goodbye between them.


	8. Chapter 8

“Hey Ma,” Danny said as the call connected. He called every Friday, a promise he’d made ever since the move to Hawaii. He knew if he ever missed a call, he’d get it in the neck, so he dared not skip a week ever. “How’s things?”

They got into the small talk, him about how business was going, yes he was still designing, no he still wasn’t a fan of the ocean. She filled him in on all the family goings on, his sisters, their kids, his dads latest DIY project around the house. It had been a few weeks since Steve had gone wherever he’d been sent on his mission and in that time Danny had begun to question their relationship.

“So, are you going to tell me what’s on your mind?” His mother asked knowingly. They may be thousands of miles apart, but she still read him as perfectly as if they were only inches apart. Danny had given up wondering how on earth she did it, motherly instinct he figured.

“Oh just- it’s nothing,” Danny sighed, not sure where to start.

“Daniel,” Clara replied firmly. “I know something is wrong. I’m not hanging up until you tell me.”

Danny knew even if he ‘accidentally’ disconnected the call, Clara wouldn’t stop harassing him until he confessed.

“Steve Ma,” He sighed heavily. “It’s been weeks without word. I knew it would be the case but still – maybe now he’s had time away to think about us, maybe he’s changed his mind. The nature of his job, he could easily be posted somewhere, stay out of the way. I wouldn’t blame him.”

“Danny,” Clara said softly, “Why do you always put yourself down? You never used to be like this.”

“You know why Ma,” Danny replied matter of factly. “I’m not that naïve young guy any more. What happened – you know why -.”

“You can’t let them be a shadow over your life all of the time Danny,” Clara reminded him, but he could hear the sadness in her voice. She knew it was easier said than done. “You’re a long way from home, you need to remember that -.”

“I might be a long way from home but what happened; I still live with the scars every day. Scars Steve’s seen now,” Danny said quietly. “Another reason he may not come back. I wouldn’t blame him; I’d understand why he wouldn’t want to be with me.”

“Stop it Daniel,” Clara admonished. “You deserve to find happiness again; I wish you could believe that.”

“Yeah me too Ma,” Danny replied. “Easier said than done right?”

“He’ll come back and you’ll realise how much he cares,” Clara assured him. “How much he wants to be with you.”

“Yeah maybe,” Danny said, still uncertain. “Though I still wonder why?”

“Because you’re a good man,” Clara reminded him. “He sees past everything, he sees you, like I do, like we all do.”

“It’s fake Ma,” Danny said sharply, sucking in a deep breath. “He sees me but he still doesn’t know me, only what I’ve told him.”

“Danny,” Clara said before pausing. He could almost hear her thinking, could imagine her standing at the counter in the kitchen, watching over dinner cooking, ready for the family to arrive for the regular Friday night Williams’ get together. He felt a pang of jealousy, wishing he could be there with them. “Why don’t you tell him the truth?”

Danny shivered, closed his eyes and shook his head, a thread of fear twisting up in his gut, tight and sickening. “No Ma, I can’t. Not now, he doesn’t know that part of my life, he doesn’t need to know. It’s dead now, the past, it has to stay there.”

“If he cares for you the way you care for him, he’d understand,” Clara tried to argue but Danny could feel the barriers set in place. He wouldn’t be swayed, not even by his mother.

“Look Ma I gotta go okay, got stuff I gotta take care of,” Danny said suddenly. “I’ll call next week. Give everyone my love.”

Clara didn’t sound convinced but she didn’t push the subject, something he was grateful of. His mother knew when to push and when to let a subject rest.

“I will Danny,” She promised. “You take care of yourself, I’ll speak to you next week. I love you.”

“Love you too Ma, bye.”


	9. Chapter 9

Mary bounced into ‘Ink’ with a grin on her face as Danny was closing up shop.

“Hey you,” Danny smiled at her as she leaned on the counter and grinned. “Was’sup?”

“You busy tonight?” She asked him with a mischievous look in her eye.

“No immediate plans,” Danny shrugged. “Why?”

“I need a favour,” Mary batted her eyelashes at him. “Please.”

“Uh huh,” Danny said, not looking convinced at her show of persuasion. “What kind of favour?”

“I need something collecting, something important,” Mary said coyly. “Only I’ve got something on and I can’t make it.”

“Doesn’t sound that important if you can’t put whatever it is you’ve got going on off,” Danny pointed out to her. “What’s going on Mare?”

“No it really is important,” Mary said, coming round the counter, giving him an imploring look. “It really is, but I think you’re the right guy to do the job.”

“Mary?” Danny said, giving her a no-nonsense look. “I’m walking out that door in five minutes and -.”

“If I said he was tall, dark and handsome, would you go then?” Mary asked with a beaming smile, grabbing his arm.

It took Danny a moment to process what she had said. It had been nearly three months since Steve had left and they had spoken only twice during that time.

“You – you mean – Steve’s coming home?” Danny asked her, staring at her for confirmation.

“Yes,” Mary nodded her head violently. “He called a few hours ago. He wanted it to be a surprise, but I’ve felt guilty these last few hours not telling you and then I figured actually why not surprise him by having you show up to collect him instead?”

“Steve’s coming home,” Danny said again, his mind going blank of everything other than having Steve back.

Mary giggled and threw her arms around him, squeezing him tight, “Yes, it’s great isn’t it.”

“Yeah,” Danny laughed at her excitement. “Great, really great.”

“His flight is due in at 1900,” Mary informed him. “Just don’t be keeping him to yourself too long okay Williams, I miss him as much as you do. Well – maybe not as much. I’ll swing by later.”

“I’ll bring him straight home I promise,” Danny grinned. “Thanks Mary, for telling me and for letting me go get him.”

“He’ll hate me for telling,” Mary told him. “He wanted it to be a surprise.”

“It is, it’s a good one, but I can’t wait to see his face when he sees me standing there instead of you,” Danny laughed. “Hey, come with me, then we can both be there.”

“Nah, I’ll let you take this one,” Mary smiled. “You two are still figuring each other out; all the kissing and googly eyes makes me nauseous.”

~

Danny was standing on the tarmac waiting a little after 18.45. Mary had called ahead to explain he would be there to collect Steve and there were a couple of other people waiting also. A woman and child caught his eye and he stood watching them for five minutes as she kept the child occupied as he began to get impatient. The mother caught him watching and smiled and Danny smiled back with a look of sympathy before he focused on a plane coming in to land.

The plane touched down, bounced a little before taxing into a halt a few yards from where the small crowd of waiting people stood. Danny held back, hands in his pockets though he itched to push forward with everyone waiting for loved ones to get home. For a moment he felt out of place, and awkward, after all before Steve had left they’d only just began dating, it wasn’t exactly as if they were a full blown couple. People began disembarking and he watched as loved ones rushed forward to give hugs and kisses. Danny scrubbed the back of his neck with his hand and wondered if maybe Mary had made the wrong decision in sending him to greet Steve.

He was watching people trickling out of the hangar when he caught sight of Steve. A feeling that reminded him of something old and familiar twisted into his gut and up his spine. It surprised him, because he hadn’t felt like that in a long long time and he wasn’t sure how to process what that represented when it came to Steve and himself. He could see Steve looking around, obviously expecting Mary, but he didn’t step forward and wave to get his attention. Danny waited until Steve caught sight of him, wanted to see what he did and how he would react. There was still a safe distance to make a swift, quiet exit if Steve wasn’t happy about it.

People crossed his path so he lost sight of Steve once, twice. Steve paused to have a word with someone, patting the guy on the back, before they embraced in a bear hug and Steve laughed as they parted. Steve swung a small pack over one shoulder and turned again and Danny stood still as their eyes finally connected. Steve paused, stared, before his mouth broke into a beaming smile and he picked up his pace, heading directly for him.

“Hey,” Danny said quietly as Steve came to a halt in front of him, staring hard like if he lost contact he’d disappear. “Mary figured maybe it would be a nice surprise if I showed up instead.”

“God you’re a sight for sore eyes,” Steve said under his breath, closing the gap between them, arms curling around his shoulders as he pulled him close. “Hey you.”

Before Danny could reply Steve was kissing him, hard and hungry. Danny didn’t hold back from reciprocating, thankful Steve had obviously missed him just as much as he’d missed Steve. When they pulled apart Steve cupped his face and stared, seeming to take in everything about him. Danny scrutinised him too, he had some cuts on his face, he’d obviously caught the sun with red dry patches on his nose and cheekbones and his lips were a little dry.

“Let’s get you home,” Danny smiled, stepping back. Steve fell into step beside him, their fingers interlinking as they made their way to the car.


	10. Chapter 10

“I got something to show you,” Danny said as Steve lay out on the lanai, a beer in hand, looking relaxed and eased. Danny sat on the edge of the lounge chair he was on and handed him his design book. Steve knew what it was because Danny had shown him in on a few occasions, it was a sketch pad that Danny used to sketch and draw tattoo ideas when he was inspired.

“You been working on new stuff?” Steve asked him with interest. He loved Danny’s ability to create art, especially when he assimilated it into tattooing.

“One in particular,” Danny nodded, helping open the pad to a page near the back. 

Steve spread open the page properly and took a moment to take in the design, “Damn D, this is amazing.”

“Yeah? You like it?” Danny asked a little coyly. He’d been nervous to show Steve because of the designs he’d used. “You remember I took photos of yours to lift some ideas? This is what I came up with from those, but gave it my own twist you know? You don’t think it looks like a copy – a replica?”

“No,” Steve shook his head. “God no this – well I can sort of see where the ones I have kind of come into it but you’ve totally put your own talent into this. It’s a beautiful piece of art Danny, it really is.”

“Thanks,” Danny smiled at the praise. “I was gonna add colour here and there, but I dunno, I think maybe keeping it simple with the colouring and let it speak for itself.”

“Yeah, maybe spots of colour here and there but it works fine just like this,” Steve nodded in agreement. “You’ve put so much effort into it.”

“Been working on it off and on since you went away,” Danny explained. “Gave me something to do while you weren’t here I guess, kept my hands busy.”

“Oh I’m sure you found plenty to do with your hands with me in mind,” Steve smirked in amusement. Danny grinned, neither denying nor confirming Steve’s suspicions. “So is this piece finished?”

“Yeah I think I’m happy with it,” Danny nodded. “I guess I’d leave it to the client to decide with they wanted some colour added, personal preference and stuff, you know how it is.”

“Would make a great start to a sleeve, or maybe a back panel,” Steve said in thought.

“Yeah, or thigh,” Danny agreed, giving it some thought. “I could create several smaller ones for a sleeve I guess, or complimentary ones if people wanted a variation around their bodies, like your shoulder ones.”

“Oh oh, I’ve seen that look,” Steve said with a laugh. “That look says I’m about to lose you while you go put your head down and sketch.”

Danny laughed but he stood up, “Just a few ideas, while they’re in my mind.”

“And here I was hoping we were gonna make out,” Steve sighed but with a glint in his eye. “I flew all this way.”

“Hold that thought,” Danny told him. “Two ideas, that’s it, twenty minutes, I’ll keep ‘em simple.”

Before Steve could reply Danny was disappearing back into the house in search of his pencils.


	11. Chapter 11

Steve was dozing when he was woken up by a mouth pressing softly against his. He came round to find Danny straddling his lap as he lay on the lounger, hands on his shoulders as he leaned over, kissing him slow and tender. 

“Mmm,” Steve smiled sleepily. “I could get used to being woken up like this.”

“I told you I’d be back in twenty minutes,” Danny smiled, kissing him again. “So here I am.”

“Mmm, yes you are,” Steve agreed, sliding his hands around his waist. “God I missed this, missed you.”

“Missed you more,” Danny retorted playfully before their mouths pressed together again, becoming hungrier and more frantic.

Steve felt his cock getting hard, could feel Danny’s through his board shorts bumping against his stomach as he writhed a little on his lap. Steve sat up straighter, a hand pressing against Danny’s spine as they pressed harder against one another. Danny gasped and tilted his head back as Steve caressed his mouth along his jaw and down his neck. Danny’s hands snaked through his hair gently, before he drew his face upwards again, stealing another kiss.

Steve’s fingers itched for more contact and he began pulling at Danny’s t-shirt, pushing it up, his wide palms coasting along Danny’s spine, skin on skin. Blindly his fingers brushed over the bumpy ridges of his scars but he didn’t think about them or care about them, they were part of Danny and Steve wanted to touch all of him. He drew back a little to push Danny’s t-shirt higher, urging him quietly to take it off but Danny resisted, pushing the material down over his torso as he became tense.

“No,” Danny shook his head, looking pensive. “Not out here.” 

Steve stopped and looked at him closely. Danny looked worried, pulling his t-shirt straight and not looking him in the eye. Steve cupped the side of his face and stroked his thumb over his cheek gently.

“Hey, look at me,” Steve whispered. “It’s only me and you out here, no visitors, no nosy neighbours, private beach. You know you got nothing to hide from me, remember?”

Danny dragged in a breath and let it out slowly, relaxing and pressing his forehead against Steve’s as he put his hands on his shoulders.

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to,” Steve assured him. “But just for the record I was hoping to get a peek or two, because damn I’ve missed the sight of you naked.”

He sensed Danny’s smile before he saw it, coy, shy, a little overwhelmed from the attention.

“Or we can go inside,” Steve added. “Only it’s just so gorgeous out here and we’re already so comfortable.”

“You are incorrigible,” Danny laughed lightly. “You just keep talking and talking until you get your way don’t you?”

“Well, it’s worked in the past,” Steve chuckled before sobering up. He drew his face back to look at Danny properly. “Honestly Danny, whatever you’re comfortable with.”

“Can’t remember the last time I took my top off outside,” Danny admitted quietly with a shake of his head.

“I wish you could see yourself through other people’s eyes,” Steve smiled at him. “My eyes.”

“You still see them,” Danny pointed out. “It’s not like you can ignore them.”

“No and I’d never lie to you or even ignore that you have scars,” Steve promised him. “They’re part of you Danny, ignoring them would be just as bad as making them an issue when they shouldn’t ever be. But I don’t just see them, I see you and I think you’re gorgeous. And like I said, I’ve missed seeing you. Starting to forget what I’ve been missing out on.”

Danny rolled his eyes and shook his head at him with a soft laugh, “Like I said, incorrigible.”

“Insatiable more like,” Steve grinned, unashamed of his lust. “C’mere.”

Steve pulled him close again, kissing him hard. Danny sank into the warmth of it, teeth clashing, tongues dancing together as they seemed to devour one another. Danny pulled back when the need for air began to tighten his lungs, although Steve wanted to dive back in right away Danny held him away for a moment.

“Want to go inside?” Steve asked him, wondering why he was pushing them apart.

“No,” Danny shook his head, “Gimme a minute.”

Danny tried not to think about how his fingers trembled a little as he reached the hem of his t-shirt. It was stupid really, but it seemed to take a lot of strength to make the decision as he began pulling the material upwards. Steve stared at him, letting him make the decision, looking on proudly which only spurred Danny on to go through with it. Danny tossed the t-shirt to one side and lowered his arms as the warm and very gentle breeze tickled over his skin.

Steve pressed his palm against his chest, before rubbing his hand one way, then the other, “You okay baby?”

“Kiss me again so I don’t suddenly regret this,” Danny replied. Steve obliged by pulling him in for another kiss, gently this time, taking his time to map out the shape of his mouth with his tongue as Danny stole soft caresses and made gentle nips of his own. 

Steve slid his hands up Danny’s back, pressing his palms flat just below his shoulder blades. He pulled his mouth away from Danny’s and dropped his head, mouthed a path to the right of his chest and pressing his tongue flat against his nipple. He felt Danny take in a breath and let it out as he teased and toyed with the hard nub. He licked and laved before sucking it between his lips and giving a small sharp nip.

Moving his attention to the other he could sense Danny getting all hot and bothered by the attention, heard his breathing getting heavier and soft moans escaping his lips. He smiled, glad Danny’s attention could be drawn away from his personal hang ups. Steve would much rather help get him turned on. He took his time reminding himself of the landscape of Danny’s body, what his skin tasted like; what Danny sounded like when he nipped at his nipples, remembering how turned on he’d gotten because of that the last time they’d been together. 

Three months was too long to be without this and Steve was determined to make up for lost time. Danny’s skin was warm under his fingertips as he flattened his palm along his spine and his nose nuzzled into the dusting of dark blonde chest hair that blanketed his upper torso. Danny’s hands smoothed over his shoulders and down his back, moving in circles as he held him close. Steve paid attention to his left nipple, nipping harder and feeling as well as hearing Danny gasp sharply, his hand sliding to the back of his neck and pressing his chest tighter against his mouth.

“Steve, babe,” Danny gasped out softly. Steve licked the spot gently as if to chase the pain, looking up at him to see the look of enjoyment on his face. He rubbed his cheek against them, the grain of his five o’clock shadow grazing over the nub. “Fu-uck.”

Danny breathed out the word quietly, eyes closed and he lost himself to the feelings Steve was whipping up inside him. Steve liked seeing him like this, lost in the moment, mind off his body and the ‘what if’ if they were caught out.

“God I missed you,” Steve sighed, pulling back, his hand sliding further up Danny’s spine and curling around his shoulder to angle him lower. He tipped back his face and Danny leaned into him, mouth colliding softly with his. As they kissed he slid his hands to Danny’s hips, moaning as Danny ground his hips down hard, their groins rubbing together. When they peeled apart Steve dragged his mouth against Danny’s jaw as he caught his breath, whispering loudly. “I wanna fuck you.”

“Good because it’s been a fucking long wait,” Danny said with a soft chuckle, pulling back. He tugged at Steve’s t-shirt until he got with the program and raised his arms, letting Danny pull it off him and toss it to the ground. “Tell me you got lube hidden in one of those pockets.”

Steve smirked and dug into the left pocket of his cargo, halfway down the leg, producing a small tube. Danny gave a soft snort and shook his head at him.

“I might have known,” Danny laughed with a smile.

“I like to be prepared,” Steve pointed out to him. “You should be happy, means any time we get the urge, we’ll be able to go for it.”

Danny laughed again, grinning as he reached down and began undoing Steve’s pants, unbuckling the belt first before attacking button and zip with a speed and agility Steve was impressed with. Steve got to work himself, pushing at the waistline of Danny’s board shorts. Danny slowed down a moment, looking uncertain for a few seconds and Steve rubbed his thumb against his skin just on his waistline.

“You okay baby?” He asked him, making sure not to push or rush him into anything he didn’t want to do.

“Yeah,” Danny said, looking at him and giving him a smile. “The need to have you in me is overriding my nerves and that’s a kinda good feeling.”

“I know being inside you feels hella good to me,” Steve goofed with a wide grin, making Danny laugh again. Danny sat up on his knees as Steve pushed the shorts down his thighs and somehow Danny managed to slide them down past his knees and off his feet without too much difficulty or moving from his lap. He batted Steve’s hands away as he went to push his pants down, fumbling instead with the flaps of material, pushing them aside and reaching inside. Steve’s breath hitched as fingers slid over his hardening cock and he gazed up at Danny as Danny tugged his cock out and began jerking him off with a tight, lazy rhythm. “Fuck baby.”

“Oh yes please,” Danny smiled, reaching behind him. Steve stared as Danny paused, raising on his knees again and gave a small gasp. He watched as his arm moved and realised he was prepping himself.

“Fuck,” Steve breathed out again, resting his hands on Danny’s hips as he watched. It was hot and sexy to watch and he palmed some of the lube himself, greasing up his dick as Danny worked open his hole, slack jawed and eyes beginning to dilate with pleasure. Danny withdrew his hand, wiped excess moisture down his thigh before he moved forward, hands resting on Steve’s shoulders. Steve wrapped an arm around his waist, his other hand guiding his now hard cock as Danny began to lower down, feeling the tip connect with his hole.

They both groaned as Danny lowered down slowly, opening up for his cock. Steve slid his hand up Danny’s spine, supporting and holding him as he impaled himself, breath hitching and enjoying every inch as he took him.

“Jesus, oh fuck,” Danny moaned, pressing his forehead against Steve’s. He slid his hands around Steve’s shoulders and held on tightly. “Fuck forgot how fucking big your dick is babe.”

Steve remembered the moans of pleasure he’d elicited from his lover the first time he’d fucked him, Danny had been more than impressed by his girth and length. It was deliciously dirty hearing Danny speaking about his cock the way he did.

“C’mon baby, keep going,” Steve encouraged as he rocked up against him. “I know you can take all of me.”

Danny moaned low, lowering still and fuck it felt good. Steve groaned and grunted, tight hole swallowing around his thick shaft, he could feel the drag of inner muscle pressing against him.

“Oh fuck yes,” Danny moaned happily. “Fucking love your cock. Missed this, missed you so much.”

Steve leaned back with a hand, supporting himself against the lounger and planting his feet, knees at a shallow angle. Danny’s hands massaged and gripped onto his shoulders as they began to find a rhythm, Steve thrusting upwards as Danny rocked down against him. They both gasped and moaned at the pleasure of the act, staring into each others eyes as they re-connected.

“Steve,” Danny gasped, slack jawed and smiling through his eyes. “Yeah fuck me baby.”

Steve wasn’t surprised Danny was so vocal, hadn’t been surprised the first time they’d had sex. He’d never been as vocal himself, less words, more sounds and definitely preferred to top than bottom. They’d had that conversation a short time before they’d slept together and Danny hadn’t been surprised that he was top any more than he wasn’t surprised to hear Danny liked to bottom.

Steve reached up as Danny rode him, sliding his fingertips over his scarred skin, following the area from hip to just under his arm and then down over his chest, snagging a nipple between his fingers and pinching tightly. Danny moaned at the added sensation, greedy for the attention Steve happily bestowed. 

“Fuck,” Danny gasped as Steve pinched, twisted and pulled at the nub before sliding his hand further left and teasing the other. “Steve. Touch me, fucking touch my cock please, please.”

Steve gazed up at him, panting and moaning at the sight. Danny had moved back a little, back straight, shoulders pulling back as he arched his back into his touch. His cock was hard between them, bumping against his torso and leaking pearls pre-cum.

“God your beautiful,” Steve gasped quietly, groaning as Danny ‘s movements became more determined, bouncing on his cock hard and greedy. “Fuck yes, ride me Danny, ride my hard fucking cock.”

“Touch me,” Danny said again desperately. “Please babe, come on.”

Steve obliged, taking him with strong, steady fingers in a tight hold. Danny groaned louder, head falling back as Steve jerked him off quickly.

“Steve, fuck – oh my god, fuck babe,” Danny said, his own rhythm faltering as his pleasures were intensified by Steve’s hand. “Jesus yes, yeah oh fuck.”

He began to move faster, trying to follow Steve’s rhythm as he rode him and Steve could only groan and stare at the sight and wonder how fucking lucky he was to have this. Danny’s ass took him deep over and over, muscles clenching over his throbbing cock and he felt his pleasure pooling, thickening, chasing over his spine and through his hips. Fuck he wouldn’t last much longer, not with Danny losing himself so fucking sexily on-top of him.

“You close baby because fuck I’m gonna come,” Steve gritted out with a thick voice. “You got me close.”

“Yeah, fuck keep working my cock,” Danny growled out. “Oh fuck yeah I’m close Steve –.”

Steve worked his hand faster, tighter, thumb sliding over the head and wiping pre-cu down the shaft which was becoming slippery and wet. 

“Oh fuck Danny, fu-ck, gonna come baby, c’mon ride me,” Steve groaned out, unable to stave off his pleasure any longer. “Oh god – fuck yeah, yes baby fuck – fuck I’m coming. Danny, Danny!”

Danny rode him as he came, making him groan and yell out loud in pleasure, shaking and trembling as everything exploded sharp and quick. Steve wanted to bury his cock up into Danny’s warm, tight hole and could feel his insides milking him dry.

“Fuck baby,” Steve groaned, emptying into him. “Oh yes, yeah.”

“Fuck,” Danny groaned at the feel, slowing his rhythm as he reached down. His hand closed over Steve’s and he jerked quickly again, urging Steve on. “Fuck Steve get me off, c’mon I’m so close babe.”

Steve gathered his senses enough to finish what they’d started, pulling and jerking Danny’s shaft until Danny yelled loudly, hips and thighs shaking and jerking as his body tensed and he panted out, sucking in deep breaths as his cock spurted over and over.

“Steve, fuck Steve yeah, yes,” Danny moaned as Steve milked out every drop. His own spent cock slipped out of Danny’s well fucked hole and they collapsed in a heap of sweaty limbs and cum on the lounger. 

“Fuck me, that’s some welcome home,” Steve said, wrapping his arms around Danny.

Danny could only hum incoherently in agreement.


	12. Chapter 12

“Oh shit, sorry,” Mary cried out in shock, eyes darting all over his body, particularly his crotch, staring a touch too long before she turned around, giving a sharp burst of laughter. “Oh my god Danny, I didn’t know you were in here.”

Danny was mortified, reaching for a towel and wrapping it around his waist as Mary dissolved into a fit of giggles.

“Oh man,” She said, leaning on the doorpost. “This is embarrassing.”

“Ya think,” Danny said sharply, giving her a poke. Mary took this as invitation to turn around to face him. Danny was beyond embarrassed as well as being suddenly aware he was still a lot naked save for the towel and everything was on show. Everything. He could see the realisation cross Mary’s face as she got a closer look at him. He wished the floor would open up and swallow him whole as she stared, blinking and suddenly looking very uncomfortable.

“I – I honestly didn’t know you were in here Danny,” She apologised, looking less amused now. Danny tried not to acknowledge the fact she wasn’t looking him in the face as she spoke. He felt like his scars were a million times more noticeable, the bumps a million times thicker, uglier and more hideous than usual.

“Jesus, what’s going on -,” Steve said as he came along the hall having heard the noise, finding Mary stood half way inside the bathroom and Danny looking stricken and pale.

“I – I didn’t know Danny was in here,” Mary explained, taking a few steps back out of the door. “I walked in on him – sorry – I – sorry, yeah-.”

She slipped past Steve and dodged into his room to use the en-suite. Steve took a step towards the bathroom, looking at Danny with an inquiring look. Danny couldn’t stand it and slammed the door shut before he could say anything.

“Danny?” Steve said from the doorway. “D, c’mon, open up.”

Danny didn’t reply, dressing quickly, anything to cover up the ugliness. He couldn’t get the look on Mary’s face out of his head. When he opened the door Steve was still there, looking shifty and nervous. He took a step towards him, holding his hands out to him like he was preparing to keep him calm.

“Are you okay?” Steve asked him carefully. “You look – look Danny don’t freak okay – it’s just that she didn’t know- and she doesn’t know, you know, about -.”

“Yeah I get it,” Danny said gruffly. “Well now she does, so I guess you can tell her now, about what it’s like.”

“About what ‘what’ is like?” Steve asked in confusion as Danny brushed past him and down the stairs.

“What it’s like sleeping with someone like me,” Danny said as he searched for his shoes.

“Danny c’mon, don’t be like this,” Steve said, reaching out to him. “Please – you’re upset, I get it, but let’s calm down and talk. She’s as mortified as you.”

“Yeah, because of what she saw,” Danny yelled, beginning to get frustrated because of his embarrassment. “Fuck, where the hell are my shoes?”

Steve placed his hands on his shoulders and gave him a small shake, looking at him with a stern look on his face.

“Hey look at me,” He said firmly. “She doesn’t know about yours scars okay, so let’s get a bit realistic Danny, she saw them, she looked at them and now she’s freaking out because you’re freaking out. You’re her friend for fuck sake, she thinks the world of you. You’re freaking out because you’ve spent so long hating yourself and being ashamed of your body, you find it hard when people actually see you for you.”

Danny stared at him, swallowing down hard, he could feel his upset dissolving into something deeper under the surface. He shook his head and tried not to let tears creep into the corners of his eyes.

“I can’t stand the idea of her looking at me different,” He admitted, throat feeling tight. “Now she’s gonna, just like everybody else.”

“Do I look at you differently?” Steve asked him.

“No but it’s different for you,” Danny retorted weakly. “I’m not sleeping with your sister.”

“Which I am very grateful of,” Steve grinned with a small laugh before he pulled him closer, holding him tight. “I’m sorry, but you’re both freaking me out a little and I need to ease the tension with bad humour. Please don’t leave, please.”

“Think she’s gonna stay shut upstairs forever?” Danny asked him. “Only I think my shoes are in there and really, I was hoping to sleep over any way.”

Steve laughed and kissed him softly before they peeled apart and both glanced upstairs, “I’ll go talk to her.”

“Maybe I should,” Danny said, pulling in a deep breath. “We’ve kinda ripped the band aid off, just need to explain the actual reason why it was on in the first place.”

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to,” Steve shook his head at him. “I’d understand and she would too.”

“Why don’t you go see if she’s gonna come down any time soon?” Danny suggested. “You can gauge how freaked she really is.”

“She’s not freaked Danny,” Steve pointed out to him. “Embarrassed maybe, I’m not sure how I would feel if I walked in on her boyfriend all naked and damp from the shower, especially if he looked as incredible as you do.”

“Shut up and go check on your sister,” Danny said, rolling his eyes and giving him a push.

A few minutes later Steve came back downstairs, Mary in tow looking embarrassed and nervous behind him. As soon as she saw Danny she turned a shade pinker and went to him, covering her mouth with her hands. 

“Oh my god Danny I’m so sorry,” She said, keeping a respectful distance. “I honestly didn’t know you were in there. I mean why would you be, when there’s a bathroom attached to Steve’s-.”

“Shower faucets broken,” Both Steve and Danny said in unison.

They all broke into gentle laughter at that.

“Oh, okay, so that explains that,” Mary smiled, looking from Steve back to Danny. “I’m sorry I was staring, only – well you’ve never said anything before – not that you have to, I means it’s your body, your story so you don’t have to tell anybody anything. Only we’re friends so it was kind of a shock you know? Seeing – well you know, when I didn’t know about them. I didn’t mean to stare, that was rude. Not that that was all I was looking at -.”

She paused and turned to Steve, giving him a wink and a smile, “Can I just congratulate you bro – good call. Lucky bastard.”

“Uh – standing right here,” Danny said, waving his hand at her.

Mary smiled at shrugged her shoulder, “Sorry brah, just saying it like it is. You’re hot, and you got one hell of a dick.”

“Mary!” Steve said from behind her, sounding indignant.

“Oh please, I’m not going to deny I didn’t get an eye full,” Mary replied. “I’d be a liar if I said I didn’t take a good look while I had the chance.”

“Oh my god,” Danny groaned. “Honestly, were you both dragged up by apes? I mean half the time I’m dealing with Captain Caveman here, now this?”

“Hey, we’re messed up man,” Mary pointed out proudly. “Deal with it. So are you gonna give me the story on those scars or am I gonna have to make something up?”

“I need beer,” Danny sighed, heading for the kitchen.


	13. Chapter 13

“So I’ve been thinking,” Steve said as they lay in bed, sated and comfortable.

“Don’t hurt yourself,” Danny teased with a smile.

“Ha, a comic,” Steve muttered with a groan. “Anyway – I’ve been thinking, maybe it’s time I got myself some new ink.”

“Yeah?” Danny asked him, propping himself up on an elbow to look at him closer. “What do you have in mind?”

“I was thinking something on my thigh, one of those designs you’ve been working on,” Steve smiled at him. “Keeps it connected to the ones I’ve got, but with a special Danny Williams twist.”

“I could see that,” Danny said as his mind began to whirl in thought. He pushed the sheet away from where it rested over their legs and looked closely at Steve’s broad, muscled thighs. “Which leg were you thinking?”

“Either,” Steve replied. Danny inched down a little, running his palm flat over Steve’s left leg. 

“Could design it to maybe twist down from just below your hip; coming round to the inner thigh but at a diagonal, that’d look good. If I get some measurements, I could sorta ‘custom fit’ it if you get my meaning.”

“Yeah,” Steve said, breath sounding a little shaky. “That’d be – good.”

“You like the sound of that?” Danny asked him, looking at him knowingly. He’d found Steve had quite the turnaround time after sex, didn’t take much to get him back up to speed.

“Yeah,” Steve nodded. “So you’ll design me something?”

“Yeah babe, of course,” Danny smiled. “Think you can handle it? Here?”

Danny ran his palm over Steve’s thigh again, making sure his fingers dipped between his legs and trailed up his inner thigh, brushing ever so closely to his cock and balls.

“The pain doesn’t really bother me,” Steve said, looking at him, eyes growing a little wider and becoming darker with desire.

“Maybe not the pain,” Danny continued, moving further down the bed, twisting onto his stomach. “But it’s the angles baby, gotta think of the position you’ll be in as I work. Think you’ll be able to control yourself?”

“Angles?” Steve questioned with a small frown. “Position?”

“Well yeah, think about it,” Danny sighed, moving over him as he pushed his legs a little apart to lie between them on his stomach. “I mean, I’ll have to work slowly and carefully down here. The outside maybe not so much, but here-.”

Danny ran his tongue along the inside of Steve’s thigh and listened to him gasp as he gave a soft squirm. “What’cha gonna do, can’t be moving around Steve, what if I make a mistake.”

“Jesus Danny,” Steve gasped out as Danny began to finger his balls gently.

“Wouldn’t want me to make a mistake would you Steve?” Danny asked innocently.

“No,” Steve choked out. “Wouldn’t want that.”

Danny licked along his inner thigh again, higher up this time, mouth teasingly close to Steve’s cock.

“You know what, we should practice,” Danny suggested coolly. “Me, like this, helping you keep still and steady. Practice, after all, makes perfect.”

“Fuck,” Steve grunted with a gasp as Danny licked along his cock, tip to base. “Fu-ck. That ain’t where you’re tattooing D.”

“Not with ink,” Danny whispered, licking from base to tip and looking up at him as Steve squirmed and took a deep breath. “Still making my mark though babe.”

“Fuck yes,” Steve couldn’t help but agree as Danny’s lips wrapped around his cock head and sucked softly. “Yes, you are, oh fuck Danny.”

Danny hummed around his dick, mouth making shallow movements up and down his shaft as Steve’s fingers twisted into the sheets. Danny pulled away completely and looked up at him with questioning eyes.

“You want me to continue babe because we did just -.”

“Fuck Danny quit talking,” Steve groaned. “Please.”

“Doesn’t take long for you to come back around does it?” Danny teased.

“Danny,” Steve groaned, raising his hips a little. “C’mon, suck my cock, please baby, killing me here.”

“Thought we were talking ink,” Danny said, fingers rolling his balls firmly, working him up, getting him harder. Steve loved it when he played with his balls, loved it even better when his mouth was working his cock at the same time.

“Fuck,” Steve grunted, panting a little as his cock grew harder. Danny’s fingers were firm and determined, balls held tight, squeezed and teased. “Baby please, suck my cock c’mon. Please.”

“You do ask so nicely,” Danny surmised softly. “God you’re so beautiful, love your cock.”

“Love your mouth on my cock,” Steve growled in return.

“Love your cock in my mouth,” Danny grinned, giving a small laugh that pushed puffs of his breath skittering over Steve’s cock. Steve moaned louder, then louder still as Danny sucked him in again, deeper this time, working his shaft in and out with determination.

“Oh fuck yes baby, yeah, oh god fuck,” Steve groaned out in pleasure. He reached down, hand resting in Danny’s hair as he moved his hips gently upwards. He moaned as Danny teasingly pulled right off him, looking down at him with imploring, desperate eyes. 

“Uh uh,” Danny said matter of factly, taking his wrist and moving it to the side of the bed, keeping it held there with a soft hold. “This is a practice session remember? For you to keep still.”

“You’re a fucking tease,” Steve growled at him.

“Practice makes perfect and I’d hate to make a mistake this close to your gorgeous cock babe,” Danny informed him. “Put your other hand on the bed.”

Steve found it quite hot for Danny to be giving orders, light-hearted as they were. He moved his hand to his other side and looked at Danny, waiting.

“Good, now lay still and I promise I’ll make it good,” Danny told him. He lowered his mouth and licked sloppily along the shaft again, base to tip and Steve grunted at the feeling, moaning louder as Danny sucked around the head.

As Danny worked his cock, Steve fought the urge to hitch his hips up into the incredible moist warmth. He dragged his fingers against the sheets, snagging and twisting just to keep himself from moving, afraid Danny would stop and not finish what he’d started. Fuck it felt good, laying there as Danny got him off, even if it was difficult to lay still, it was also a turn on following orders.

Steve moaned, lying back, closing his eyes and losing himself to the feeling as Danny hummed and swallowed him down over and over, taking him deep in his mouth, working his tongue against the shaft.

“Fuck Danny your mouth,” Steve gasped in amazement. “Oh fuck baby.”

Danny continued to hum, the vibrations moving over his skin and his fingers continued to play with his balls. Steve wasn’t sure after this he’d trust Danny giving him a tattoo, knowing this memory would rear into his mind when they attempted to begin. Fuck Danny wasn’t making it easy, but jesus it felt so good.

He was still sensitive from the sex not long before, his cock rock hard from Danny’s mouth and the way he swallowed him down. Fuck it felt good, that wet warmth travelling up the shaft and back down, it took everything not to thrust into the touch. Danny sucked like a pro, Steve didn’t even want to know where he’d learned his technique, he just thanked all the gods that existed that he was lucky enough to experience a Danny Williams Blowjob.

“Danny, fuck oh fuck baby you got me close,” Steve groaned, feeling his balls growing tighter, his cock throbbing in response to Danny’s ministrations.

He arched, toes curling as he stretched his limbs, the pleasure building and he twisted his fingers knuckle white into the sheets because damn, it was like Danny was sucking everything out of him. The suction was intense and incredible.

“God yes baby,” Steve stuttered out, arching his neck back and groaning loudly, unashamed of how much his pleasure poured from his lips. It was like Danny broke through all his defences and barriers, brought him out of himself. “Oh fuck I’m gonna come – Danny – Danny – fu-ck, oh fuck yeah, yes.”

Danny didn’t stop, pushing him, dragging him, sucking him right over that edge. He tensed, grunted and moaned and he couldn’t stop his hips writhing, bucking as he came, balls emptying into Danny’s throat. His cock felt extra sensitive now and he hummed and moaned as Danny swallowed, sucked and licked every drop down.

“Fuck, Danny, Jesus,” Steve groaned, shaking fingers reaching out to him as Danny finally pulled off him, nuzzling his nose against the base of his cock. Steve could feel his hot breath hitting off his skin as Danny moved up a little further, resting his cheek against his stomach. “Holy fuck man, where the hell did you learn to suck dick?”

He felt rather than heard Danny give a soft laugh and smiled himself, hands blindly running through Danny’s hair, coming to a rest on his shoulders.


	14. Chapter 14

“You know you could have brushed me off, said you were busy,” Danny told him again.

“I’ve told you, I’m happy to help out,” Steve smiled, patting him on the shoulder. “The work will get done in twice the time right? This way we get finished early and uh – well I’m sure we’ll come up with something to do for the rest of the day.”

Danny smirked at Steve’s one track mind and nodded, clapping his hands together, “Okay, let’s do this.”

They were clearing out his garage, something Danny had been meaning to do for some time but hadn’t really gotten around to it. He’d found Steve was the kind of person who enjoyed such tasks, so he had to be grateful of his boyfriends enthusiasm. Danny wondered how he had managed to accumulate so much junk and why on earth he had kept most of it. A lot of it they put in one pile to be dumped or recycled. He had another pile growing to donate to charity. The deeper they delved into the junk, the more paperwork they began finding.

“I’m buying you a paper shredder,” Steve laughed when he found another box of documents dating back years. “Seriously? Why do you need this?”

“My Ma always kept important correspondence over the years,” Danny shrugged. “Guess I picked up on her bad habit. Hey you want another beer?”

“Yes,” Steve nodded enthusiastically. “Thanks.”

Danny disappeared to get a couple of cold ones as Steve pulled another box from the shelving at the back of the garage. It was heavier than he realised and it fell with a crash to floor before he had a good handle on it and everything began to tip out.

“Shit,” Steve huffed, bending down to stuff the papers back into the box. A file caught his eyes, contents spilling out, it being full of newspaper clippings. He frowned and picked it up curiously, flicking through a couple as he slipped them back into the file. His sharp eyes caught on some of the words. “...Rachel Williams, 27, died in the blaze which took fire services several hours to put out completely. Mr Williams was rushed to hospital and remains there in intensive care…”

Steve frowned, opening the file up. All the clippings depicted the burnt shell of a house and not all of them had an article attached. Amongst them was a picture of Danny looking younger and happy with a woman cuddling up to him. The by-line read, ‘Danny and Rachel Williams’. Steve didn’t understand – who was Rachel, who was she to Danny and why hadn’t he ever mentioned her? Steve leafed through more of the file realising what he was looking at was evidence – evidence that Danny had lied to him. Worst still, Danny had continued lying to him through the last months of their relationship. 

Steve felt sick to his stomach. If there was one thing in life he couldn’t tolerate, refused to tolerate, it was liars, especially people who created such elaborate stories and especially people he cared deeply about. He snapped the file shut, mind reeling. What the hell was going on? Why had Danny lied all this time – six months of getting to know one another and everything Danny had told him about the accident, it wasn’t real? He hadn’t gotten his scars in a car accident? Steve felt something dark stir deep inside, something he usually kept a good handle on, an anger he tried to keep locked away. Lies, betrayals – why were those things that seemed to constantly plague him in life? Why did the people he thought he could trust the most, turn out to be the ones who ripped that trust to shreds? When Danny had told him about the accident, Steve had been grateful, thankful that Danny had opened up to him – he’d felt special that Danny trusted him that much with his secret. Instead he’d been made a fool, Danny had fed him a pack of lies and hadn’t even tried to tell him the truth in their time spent getting to know one another.

He heard Danny before he saw him, Danny talking loudly about how they were making progress and he would treat that night for takeout. Danny appeared at the door into the garage, beers in hand grinning, but the smile wavered when he faced Steve, a frown gathering on his brow as Steve looked at him with accusation and anger.

“What – what’s wrong?” Danny asked warily before Steve even spoke.

Steve lifted the file, shaking it at him from a distance before he flung it on the ground, papers and clippings flying everywhere.

“You – you lied to me?” Steve stared at him. He was angry but more so he felt betrayed, Danny had lied and it was such a big lie. Such a big cover up and he didn’t know why, why hadn’t Danny trusted him from the start. “All this time, you never once thought to tell me the truth?”

“Steve, let me explain-,” Danny said, stepping forward, his hands up in soft surrender. Steve took a step back, keeping distance between them. He needed that, needed to see Danny for everything he was. 

“I don’t – I can’t believe all this time-,” Steve shook his head. He felt sick to his stomach and his emotions were in turmoil. “I don’t know you – I never knew you.”

“Steve please,” Danny said, clasping his hands together. He looked at him with big, desperate eyes, looking afraid and shocked. “Just let me explain, please babe, please listen to me.”

“No,” Steve said sharply, standing straighter, shaking his head. “No I – I don’t want to hear it. You only want to tell me because I know you’ve been lying to me, the truth is out about that now. If it wasn’t, you wouldn’t want to explain, you’d carry on with the lies.”

He turned and headed for the door, only Danny was faster and came around him, blocking his path, hands pressing into his chest. Danny looked up at him, wide eyed and looking afraid.

“Please don’t leave like this,” Danny implored again. His eyes were glassy and Steve could see he was trying not to cry, Steve felt like crying himself. Everything they were, the last six months of their relationship, it was like it was shattered and lying in a million pieces behind him, in pieces amongst those newspaper clippings. “Please Steve.”

“Get out of my fucking way,” Steve growled, standing firm. He didn’t push Danny away or reach for him, only tightened his whole body and didn’t look at him. He couldn’t, he stared through the doorway instead, trying to ignore the urge to hold him, to comfort him when he heard and sensed Danny’s obvious distress.

Danny’s hands ran up and down his chest, around his waist. He felt his face press against his shirt, the material becoming damp from tears. Danny leaned back again, hands running over his body once more.

“Listen to me,” Danny urged him but Steve wouldn’t look at him or acknowledge he was talking. He was too hurt to care. “I – I love you. I never meant to hurt you and us – it’s all real Steve, all of me was real. I lied because the truth was too painful – there are things I needed to leave buried in the past. People I needed to leave buried – you don’t understand – if you just let me explain-. Babe – please.”

“You done?” Steve asked numbly.

Danny seemed to register he wasn’t listening, hands still resting on his chest and he pulled back, dropping his hands down to his side.

“I can’t believe you’re going to leave without hearing me out,” Danny said quietly. “I thought -.”

“Six fucking months Danny,” Steve snapped harshly. “Six fucking months of thinking you’d been burned in a car accident. Instead I find out you – you have, had, a wife - that it was so much fucking more than what you had told me. Lies, lies and more lies. I don’t want to hear any more, because I can’t believe anything you say any more.”

“You know me,” Danny said, raising his hands to him. “You know me babe – the only thing I wasn’t truthful about was how I got my scars.”

“And your family – and why you’re here in Hawaii, and your whole fucking past,” Steve shouted back at him. “I – I’m leaving now.”

“Steve,” Danny said but he didn’t try to stop him this time.

“I think we shouldn’t see each other for a while,” Steve said stiffly without turning to him. It hurt like hell, like his heart was breaking in half. He felt actual pain in his chest and he’d gone through breakups, but never like this. “Don’t call me and don’t bother coming round. I’ll pack up your stuff and maybe Mary will drop it off for you, can collect my stuff at the same time.”

He ignored the sob he heard Danny gasp out as he walked out the door. He didn’t look back, he couldn’t, because it felt like he’d ripped his heart out and left it there in Danny’s hands and he didn’t know how to handle that. 

The love of his life and he had to walk away.

~


	15. Chapter 15

“Steve just talk to him,” Mary said as Steve finished piling Danny’s things into another box. It had been a few days in which he’d ignored Danny’s calls and texts, begging Mary to come collect Danny’s things to return to him. He hadn’t realised how much stuff of Danny’s he’d accumulated in his house over the course of their relationship. “Listen to what he was to say. You owe him the chance to explain.”

“He lied Mary – for six months he lied,” Steve snapped at her. “From the very start.”

“He had his reasons,” Mary countered carefully. “If you listen you’ll understand.”

“Just take his stuff, please,” Steve shook his head at her. He didn’t want to hear it. “You don’t know how hard this is; don’t make it any harder Mare.”

“Jesus Steve,” Mary went to him, putting her arms around him. “I’ve never seen you like this before.”

Steve felt his barriers falling, he’d never been able to hide from Mary. They were open books to one another, the only people they well and truly trusted in the world. She was the only person he had in the world and he was grateful of her comforting hold.

“I feel like my hearts been ripped out,” Steve said against her, choking back his tears. “I’ve never felt so hurt before. Well – not since, you know-.”

“Because you love him,” Mary pointed out to him gently with a squeeze. “And he loves you. Isn’t that enough Steve, to solve everything? Don’t you owe him a chance to at least explain?”

“Maybe,” Steve said quietly, pulling away and giving a grimace at his tears. He wiped his eyes quickly and sniffed, waving his hand at the boxes. “I dunno Mare – I need time to think.”

“I’ll drop his stuff off and then I’ll come back over okay?” Mary told him. “We’ll get take out, lots of beer and have a night in together alright?”

“Yeah, sure,” Steve nodded. “Thanks sis.”

~

“Steve, I’m back,” Mary said as she let herself into the house.

“I’m upstairs,” Steve shouted down to her. “Change of plans Mare, I got a call, gotta be at the base within the hour.”

“What? Really?” Mary said, going up the stairs, carrying one of the boxes she’d brought with her. “You kidding me?”

“No,” Steve said as she walked into his bedroom. He was placing stuff into his pack and he was already wearing his cargoes. He looked at her with a sense of urgency. “I dunno what’s up but – it’s serious if they want me deployed ASAP.”

“Jesus their timing fucking sucks,” Mary said as she sat on the bed, placing the box there. “How long you gonna be gone for?”

“I don’t know,” Steve shrugged, dumping a toiletry bag into the pack. “You know there’s no time frame on these things.”

“But what about you and Danny?” Mary asked as he walked to the wardrobe to look inside.

“We – it’s over Mare,” Steve said stiffly. “Guess this will give us the time we need apart.”

“Steve-,” Mary began to argue but Steve shook his head as he grabbed some uniforms and put them on the bed. 

“Don’t,” Steve said quietly. “I need to get my head in the game – I can’t think about it. Shit, I don’t want to – maybe this is the best thing, for both of us.”

“Should I tell him?” Mary asked him. “I think he should know.”

“Why?” Steve frowned as he folded clothing and placed it in his pack. “He doesn’t need to know anything.”

“Steve,” Mary protested again at his stubborn attitude.

“Tell him, don’t tell him,” Steve shrugged. “Look Mare, I’m leaving soon, I need to finish packing. Then you can drive me right?”

“Yeah, sure,” Mary nodded, not pushing the issue. “Of course I will.”

~

After dropping Steve off, giving him a long hug goodbye, Mary drove home and tried calling Danny but he wasn’t answering her calls. She assumed he was ignoring her and sighed as she left a message on his home phone, his voicemail and sent him a message to call her. She was worried for both men, for Steve going on a mission in such an emotional and mental state from the break up and for Danny, who she believed deserved to be heard about this whole secret business. She was also curious as to what that secret fully was.

She waited up hoping to hear from Danny but went to bed still waiting. The next day, when she went to work, she decided to catch him in the parlor, only the orders were so many that she barely lifted her head from making up bouquets and running up orders to get a chance. She caught a glance of him going into work, but by the time she finally wound down for the day ‘Ink’ was closed. She tried calling again but Danny still didn’t answer and she was beginning to get irritated now that he was obviously ignoring her. She understood it was because Steve was her brother, but she was still Danny’s friend and it hurt he was pushing her away because of the breakup.

On the drive home she passed by Danny’s place but his car wasn’t outside and so she drove home, deciding not to bother him until he came looking for her. It was a few days later when she realised she hadn’t seen Danny around, although Kono was still at the parlour, her cousin Chin was also making a regular appearance. It was almost a week after Steve had left and Mary got a chance to leave the shop and skip over the road, walking into ‘Ink’ as Kono stood at the counter perusing a magazine.

“Mary, hey,” Kono smiled at her. “Long time no see.”

“Yeah I’ve been busy,” Mary said, thumbing over her shoulder to ‘Petals’. “Danny around?”

Kono frowned as she looked at her, shaking her head, “Danny? No, he’s went home to New Jersey for a visit. Didn’t he tell you?”

“No, he didn’t,” Mary shook her head in dismay. “Damn – when did he go?”

“Uh, a few days ago, I thought he would have mentioned,” Kono shrugged. “He didn’t say what was wrong, but it seemed like it was urgent.”

“Ah man, he – did he tell you him and Steve broke up?” Mary explained.

“What! No, you’re kidding!” Kono exclaimed loudly. “No wonder he seemed so – well not himself. God I wonder if that’s why he’s gone home – to get away for a while you know? I can’t believe it, I mean it was Steve – he, they -.”

“Loved each other,” Mary finished for her with a nod. “I know right! I’ve been trying to call Danny for days now but he won’t answer my calls.”

“Yeah he’s not been in touch much, a few emails to check on things but he knows I can run the place fine and Chin’s stepped in to handle the second chair. There were only one or two clients I had to change for Danny, seeing as he was giving them personal design pieces.”

“So you don’t know when he’ll be home?” Mary asked in dismay. “This sucks.”

“God I know, it’s terrible,” Kono sympathised. “I’m sorry Mare – if he calls or gets in touch, I’ll tell him you’re trying to contact him. You know how it is, you’re Steve’s sister so-.”

“Yeah I know,” Mary nodded in understanding. “I get it – it sucks but I get it. Okay well, look I got orders to fill – thanks Kono, I’ll see you later.”


	16. Chapter 16

Danny had been reluctant in packing up Steve’s things from his place until Mary had messaged saying she’d be by with boxes for him. He’d willed Steve to call, to arrive on his doorstep and let him explain. He couldn’t believe it was over, it couldn’t be. He couldn’t lose Steve but the way Steve had left, it had seemed so final.

It was with a heavy heart Danny had packed things away, little things he hadn’t really begun to notice that had found a way into his home. Shelves and spaces seemed bare now as he stacked the belongings by the door, he couldn’t believe that Steve wanted things returned so quickly. There were a few things Danny couldn’t let go of, a t-shirt of Steve’s which he’d taken to sleeping in on the rare nights he was home alone. A mug he’d bought Steve with ‘In the Navy’ lyrics scrawled all over it because it amused him.

He couldn’t look at the boxes anymore and he couldn’t sit by the phone waiting for Steve to call when he knew, deep down, Steve wouldn’t. He was too stubborn to do that, wouldn’t let his guard down now that he’d discovered his secret.

Danny had made himself a coffee and sat at his table, thinking. He should have been honest from the beginning, but he had his reasons and Steve wasn’t even willing to listen to those. It wasn’t fair – if Steve knew the truth, maybe he would forgive him. At least maybe he wouldn’t hate him. Danny blinked back tears – it was hard to accept they were over, that it was finished. He felt like any minute everything inside would shatter into a million pieces he felt so broken. He didn’t think he’d have the capacity to feel like that again – that he could feel that same pain again of losing the person he loved. Only Steve wasn’t dead – they were just over – Danny wondered if death was easier to deal with. You couldn’t mourn the living and you had to deal with the monumental fuck up you’d created in the process of losing them and pushing them away.

He had known one thing, Steve needed to know the details. After searching for paper and a pen, he sat again and began to write, hunched over the paper like a man possessed, he lay everything out on the table – every detail, everything Steve needed to know to understand. By the time he was done, the paper was smudged with teardrops and Danny sank back in his chair and wept. For the past, for love lost, for fuck ups and break ups. He stuffed the letter into an envelope and stuffed the envelope deep into one of the boxes, hoping Steve would read it before he destroyed it.

He had made sure he’d dried his eyes and composed himself when Mary arrived, giving her minimal details, unable to pour out his secrets twice in one night. He hadn’t had the emotional capacity to do so, even though he felt bad that she was caught in the middle of it all. She was his friend, even if she was also Steve’s sister.

When Steve hadn’t called in the two days since and Mary had quit plaguing him with calls and texts he’d decided he needed to get away. He trusted Kono to watch over ‘Ink’, he needed to go home and take stock of life again. Remind himself of some truths. He’d booked a flight and left that same day.


	17. Chapter 17

~ 6 Weeks Later ~

“Steve! Oh my god,” Mary rushed across the small space of the store floor and flung her arms around him, hugging him tight. “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming home?”

“Surprise?” Steve shrugged with a small smile. “Hey you.”

“Hey yourself,” Mary poked him in the ribs. “This is a nice surprise but still, you suck for not telling me.”

Steve smiled a little brighter and stepped back, glancing around the place, “So, keeping busy?”

“Of course,” Mary nodded quickly. “Wrapping up for the day, Jenna is finishing deliveries and I’m about done here. Just gotta crunch some numbers, I’ll be about a half hour, you want to do dinner or something?”

“Sounds like a plan yeah,” Steve nodded. “Want me to help lock up?”

“Sure,” Mary nodded with a smile. “Pull the main shutter will you?”

Steve smiled, moving off outside as Mary began emptying the cash register to tally up and lock safely away for the next morning. She watched Steve through the window as he lingered before he reached for the shutter, his eyes moving over to ‘Ink’ which was already locked up for the day, before he paid attention to what he was doing. Danny had been back only a few days himself and things had been tense at the beginning between herself and him, but eventually he had begun to slowly make an appearance or stop to say and even answered her calls and texts. Mary had learned quickly not to mention the break-up, Danny wouldn’t talk about it and it just made things awkward so she stopped asking.

Steve reappeared and locked the main door, wandering over to the counter as she finished taking out the cash, “Just got to count it, bag it and we can go,” She told him.

They were on their way within the half hour, she had already told Jenna to head straight home. She and Steve headed directly to their favourite burger bar by the beach and they settled in a booth after ordering their drinks and food.

“So, you really okay?” Mary asked as she looked at him closely. “You weren’t gone long this time.”

“It’s was a straight forward operation,” Steve informed her. “In, out – done deal.”

“I wish you’d told me you were coming,” Mary said. “I’d have collected you, you know that.”

“I know,” Steve nodded. “There was stuff I needed to do at the base, so I stayed over a night -.”

“You’ve been back since yesterday and you didn’t call me!” Mary exclaimed, giving him a glare. “Steve you SOB, I don’t believe you.”

“I’m sorry Mare,” Steve apologised lamely. “I arrived late night honest, it was pointless calling when I wouldn’t see you until now.”

“Well, still, it’s a shitty thing to do Steve,” Mary sighed. “I miss you, you know. You’re the only family I got left.”

“Apart from Aunt Deb,” Steve smiled, but he understood her thinking.

Mary smiled at the mention of Deb, she loved their Auntie. “Deb lives hundreds of miles away, anyway, you know what I mean.”

“Yeah I know what you mean,” Steve nodded. “I’m sorry I didn’t call you as soon as the plane landed.”

“Good,” Mary stuck out her chin at him. “You can pay tonight to make up for it.”

“Don’t I always pay?” Steve asked her.

“Uh no,” Mary shook her head. “I can’t remember the last time you paid for anything, cheapskate.”

“That’s not true,” Steve grinned as they began arguing lightly. He loved his sister, especially when he could push her buttons. Mary was a feisty character and had a heart of gold. 

The food arrived and they made small talk about the business and Deb now that she had been brought up in conversation. They finally pushed away empty plates and finished their drinks, the conversation lulling. Steve sat back, perusing the beach for a long moment in thought before he glanced nervously at Mary.

“So uh – you seen much of Danny since I’ve been away?” He asked slowly.

“I was wondering when you’d ask me about him,” Mary said with a knowing smile. “He’s only been back a short time himself, he went back to Jersey to visit family.”

“Oh, right,” Steve said with a small nod. “So is he okay?”

“As well as can be considering how you guys left it,” Mary shrugged. “Hasn’t he called?”

“No, no messages on the machine, no texts, no voicemails,” Steve said, looking a little irritated. “I thought he might have tried to be in touch.”

“Uh bro, weren’t you the one telling him not to call?” Mary pointed out to him. “You seemed pretty adamant you didn’t want to talk to him.”

“Yeah but he hasn’t even tried,” Steve said quickly. “I mean he said there were reasons, but obviously they weren’t good ones because he hasn’t even tried to make amends.”

“If you’re still pissed off at him, then why are you asking about him?” Mary asked him with a raised brow. 

“Because I – I only wanted to know if he’d spoken to you,” Steve shrugged. “Obviously he hasn’t so what does that tell you?”

“Jesus Steve,” Mary said with a shake of his head. “Maybe give the guy a break okay? You broke up with him remember?”

“Yeah with good reason,” Steve pointed out to her. “He lied Mary.”

“About what?” Mary asked him. “That’s what I don’t understand. You never told me about what, Danny never said anything – I don’t understand how this even happened. You two were like – made for each other.”

“His past, how he got his scars,” Steve told her quietly. “It wasn’t a car accident, it was a fire at home or something – he didn’t even tell me. We were clearing through some boxes he’d brought out of storage, I found some newspaper clippings about the fire – I dunno he went really weird after it, shady, like there was more to tell. When I confronted him about the car accident he admitted he’d lied – it was a hell of a lie Mary, I believed him when he told me. It was like he believed it himself, which makes me wonder about the fire, makes me question who he really is. I mean what do we really know about him? That what, he used to live in New Jersey and moved here because he liked the idea of being here? Only he hates taking his clothes off in public, so why move to an Island where people pretty much live on the beach? He hates the heat and humidity, he doesn’t like the ocean, he could have set up trade anywhere with his talent, probably made more money back in New Jersey or New York would have been an easier option than here.”

“Steve you seemed to have put a lot of thought into this,” Mary said, leaning against the table. “Like too much thought. You don’t know his story because you didn’t want to hear it and now you’re making things up in your mind. Maybe get his version of events before you jump to any more conclusions.”

“I hate liars,” Steve said vehemently. “They bring nothing but trouble with them.”

“You know I hate liars as much as the next person,” Mary reminded him. “But we've got good reason for that, but Danny doesn’t know that because it’s our secret. You’re accusing him of lying but – does he know about our past? About mom and -.”

“No, no I guess not,” Steve shook his head. “But that’s never come up in conversation. I’ve never out and out lied to his face Mare. That story about the accident, when he told me, that was the night we first slept together – he was so genuine, so believable. I thought he was opening up a part of himself to me and I found out it was all lies.”

“Steve you gotta talk to him,” Mary urged but Steve shook his head stubbornly.

“If he can’t come to me himself then I won’t go looking for answers.”


	18. Chapter 18

It was a few days later when Danny first saw Steve. He’d only been home a few days himself and hadn’t seen him around. He was finishing off a sketch in his pad as he waited for his next client and happened to glance up as Steve walked into the flower store.

It had been over a month since they’d broken up and they hadn’t spoken once. He ducked his head down and finished a few lines before closing the book. He thought after the letter Steve might have contacted him, but it obviously hadn’t made a difference. That hurt more than he let on, along with the pain of not talking to him every day, not seeing him every day, holding him, kissing him. Danny sighed and wondered where the hell he’d done wrong to monumentally fuck up the best relationship since – since Rachel.

He recalled having landed on his parents doorstep a few weeks back after arriving in New Jersey without warning ahead of time. His mom had taken one look at him and had known something was wrong, had patiently listened as he’d poured out everything to her, about him and Steve, about the lying, about how his heart was broken. No, not broken, pummelled and pulped and shredded, that’s what it felt like. His Mom had held him, hugged him, soothed him and then after he was done, set him back on his feet again and told him to suck it up. Not in so many words, but the meaning was there, he needed to start living again. ‘You did once, you can do it again’. Only it was more difficult, when Steve was pretty much on his doorstep, or possibly could be every single day.

His client walked in and Danny thanked his lucky stars. He could lose himself in the project, the guy had a back tattoo that they were currently adding detail to and it was one that had taken weeks to really mould and create. They were coming into the final stages, but Danny had lost himself in the method and patience needed for such a broad design. He knew the next two or three hours would be lost as he created and he was grateful of such a task to take his mind off his ex.

~

Steve walked out of Petals to find Danny on the sidewalk opposite, a coffee cup in hand, chatting to Kono before they said their goodbyes and she strolled off up the street towards her car. Danny was about to walk away when he paused, their eyes connecting across the distance and they stared at one another like strangers. Neither knew the other wanted to say something, anything to break the silence and tension; each man wanted to say hi, to make a tentative step in the direction of making amends. Instead they stared, tongue-tied and silent until Danny sighed, turned and began walking, because he knew if he didn’t, he wasn’t sure he could stop himself running over the road and begging Steve to listen one last time. His Mom had told him to hold on to the pride he had left, that he didn’t need to beg to have his story heard. 

Steve watched him walk away with a lingering sadness deep in his gut. God he wanted him, wanted to cross the road and hold him, kiss him – he missed that, the physical knowledge of Danny, what it felt like and tasted like to kiss him. What it felt like to writhe against one another, to linger and caress. What it felt like when Danny looked at him full of trust and openness because of his personal hang-ups about his scars. Steve watched him with remorse and sadness as Danny kept walking without looking back until he turned the corner out of sight.

That night he cracked open a beer, having decided enough was enough and he would finally unpack the boxes Mary had brought him full of his stuff that had been at Danny’s. There wasn’t much to be fair, but it still hurt to see it all boxed up, that a relationship could be tidied clean away so easily. Not that it had been easy to box up Danny’s things, it had been a spur of the moment reaction and Steve regretted not keeping some things. He’d flung everything he could find of Danny’s into the boxes he’d sent him, but he had a gut feeling Danny had kept some things that belonged to him.

He unpacked clothes from the first box, tossing them into the laundry basket to clean. A couple of CDs, DVDs and even toiletries were underneath. A baseball cap, and an old mangled football that had belonged to his dad. He picked up the ball and tossed it in the air before placing it on the bed. Reaching in, he frowned, withdrawing a crumpled up envelope. He figured it was Danny’s, tossed in the box with his stuff accidentally but when he looked on the front, his name was scrawled there in Danny’s familiar writing.

Steve looked at it, turned it over and looked at it again. Danny had written him a letter? He wondered when because it was the first time he’d seen it. Had it been there for seven weeks without being discovered? Steve picked up his beer and wandered downstairs, out onto the lanai and settled onto the lounge chair. It was mild and still bright enough to read without extra light and he sat back, took a long drag and set the bottle aside before ripping open the envelope and pulling a couple of folded pages out of it.


	19. Chapter 19

‘Steve

I know there aren’t enough excuses in the world to put right the wrong I have done by lying to you, but I feel I have to try so here it is, the whole truth or truths, everything about my past. The real reason I’m here in Hawaii, the real reason for my scars.

First truth – I was married, her name was Rachel and I loved her. She was my life.

I told you a little about my life growing up in the neighbourhood in New Jersey, but I never really got into how tough it was. It wasn’t the worst of the neighbourhoods, but it wasn’t the safest either, it was home and we made the best of a hard situation. My Dad always said we lived on the greener side of the fence. That Tattoo place I was telling you about, it was a front for one of the local gangs, a money laundry for their drugs set up. Everyone knew about it, nobody talked about it.

Second Truth - I always wanted to be a cop. 

My parents didn’t have the money to send me to college, but Rachel came from a family with money and with her trust fund she helped me get through night school to get the necessary qualifications I needed to get into cop school. I was only a few months from graduating and joining the force when the fire happened. Before night school, I spent most of high school pouring my passion into art class, but tattooing was something else I wanted to do and it was a cheaper option getting the necessary qualifications I needed so that’s what I opted for. So you see; I knew the tat place was a front for drugs, but I kept my mouth shut long enough to begin working for them. After all, it was a family neighbourhood, I knew as soon as I told them I wanted to be a tattooist that I had a job there waiting for me, so I turned a blind eye to what was going on because I needed to earn money. That was before I met Rachel and she found out about my real dream. I loved tattooing, I loved my art, but I always felt like I was missing out what I was really meant to do with my life. Around me I was surrounded by corruption and greed, deep down inside I wanted to bring it to an end.

Third Truth – I got my burn scars from a house fire. My house. The first house I lived with my wife. The house my wife and unborn child died in.

We hadn’t been married very long, maybe a couple of months when we found out Rachel was pregnant. Fuck I went through so many emotions – happy that we were starting a family, shit scared wondering how I’d support us on a cops wage even though Rachel’s trust fund would carry us for a long time. I wanted to support my family, not be supported. I was still slogging through night school, tattooing through the day. I was approached by the police in secret about the drugs money going through the tattoo parlour. I saw it as my step in the right direction, my time to do the right thing, to make a difference and do good. I co-operated because I believed in the greater good, I thought I’d be protected. I never thought on the corruption of the system, that I’d be caught out by the ones I was trying to bring down because of some nark on the payroll.

They set fire to the house on an evening I wasn’t home. At first I thought maybe they thought I was, but later I realised they knew I wasn’t – they wanted me to suffer the worst way. By the time I arrived home the place was ablaze, but fire services hadn’t arrived at the scene yet. I could hear Rachel shouting from inside so I broke into the house to get to her, only the heat – goddamn the heat. It was an inferno – I could feel it burning and I couldn’t go very far, driven back by heat and smoke. I kept trying and got trapped under some falling debris off the ceiling, which in a way sort of protected me and saved my life, except for the burns on my left side. The fire crew found me and got me out, I was taken to the hospital and it was a week before I gained consciousness. They kept me heavily sedated as I healed, so it was days before I found out Rachel had died in the fire. We had only known for a few weeks about the baby.

The police investigated, everything pointed to arson but they never found anyone for it, never arrested anyone. About a month after I got out of the hospital, months after the accident and I’d lain my wife to rest, I received a letter – a warning I guess. It simply said next time they wouldn’t miss. I know I should have told the police or anyone, but I was broken by then, broken and alone so I kept quiet. Not only for myself, but my mother and father still lived in the neighbourhood, my sisters and their families. I didn’t think I could go on, but every day got a little easier. But living in the old neighbourhood wasn’t the same, I felt like I was always looking over my shoulder, always asking what if about the people I passed in the street. Rachel, in some weird twist of fate, had moved some of her trust fund into my name, so I inherited a little money from her. It felt wrong, but I used it anyway, along with insurance money and moved around, first to New York where I lived a little while, beginning to sketch and tattoo again. But things still reminded me of Rachel and when I did eventually begin dating again, my scars hindered any real chance of happiness. 

I began to lie about the scars because it was too painful to tell people about Rachel. You see she was murdered Steve, but I played my part in that murder, my actions brought on her death. Living with the scars, carrying them around with me, it’s a constant reminder of what I did, of my hand in her death.

I kept the paper clippings because of some macabre need to remember, even though I remember every day when I see myself in the mirror. I know it hurt you that I lied, I know it’s madness that I can make up a story about a car pileup in a highway in which I survived – but the truth, god I can’t even write it down without crying. I never thought I’d fall in love again, I never thought I could feel the way I did about her again. That someone could just get under my skin and make a home there and make me feel the way you make me feel. 

I’m sorry I lied, that I was never brave enough to tell the truth. I’m sorry the way it ended, that even then I couldn’t find the words. I hope this letter in some way explains my actions and that one day you’ll be able to understand and maybe even forgive me.

Final Truth – I love you. I’m in love with you. Breaking up with you – it’s like running into that fire all over again and not being able to reach you. You have no idea how helpless, how utterly despairing that feels.

If you read this and still feel the same way you do, I understand. I just hope you realise I didn’t want to hurt you. I won’t try to call or contact you – you’ve made it clear you don’t want that so I’ll give you your space. If I don’t hear from you in a few days, then I’ll take that as confirmation it’s over between us. I can’t promise to stop loving you, but I promise I’ll keep my distance – I’ll go back to New Jersey for a little while, give you your space and when I come home, well I guess we just pretend like we don’t know each other or something right? 

I hope you read this and that it doesn’t find its way to lining your waste paper basket.

Danny’

Steve dropped his hands to his lap and wiped tears from his eyes, his vision had blurred several times from reading and he scrubbed his face, swallowing down hard. He dug his phone from his pocket and called Mary.

“You need to come over right now,” He said quickly. “Please Mare, don’t ask questions, just come quickly.”

Mary said she’d be right over, but he knew it would be ten minutes, so he swallowed down a large glass of cold water and sat back down, reading the letter again. He was reading it a third time when Mary rushed through the house, finding him snivelling on the lanai.

“Fuck what?” Mary said going to him and sitting down. “What is it Steve? What’s happened?”

Steve pushed the letter into her hands and told her to read. Mary took it in confusion and began reading, gasping and shaking her head as she went until she came to the end, looking at him glassy eyed.

“This – this is his secret?” Mary asked in bewilderment. “Jesus – Steve have you spoken to him?”

“I – no I just found it,” Steve told her. “I’ve just read it.”

“What? Did it get lost in the post or something?” Mary asked, putting the letter down and smoothing it out. “God I never imagined, I mean – fuck bro.”

“No he – it was in one of the boxes of my stuff from his place,” Steve said with a shake of his head. “I can’t believe – I can’t get my head around this.”

“The boxes – but, look at this,” Mary said, holding up the letter and reading out the lines near the end. ‘If I don’t hear from you in a few days, then I’ll take that as confirmation it’s over between us. I can’t promise to stop loving you, but I promise I’ll keep my distance – I’ll go back to New Jersey for a little while, give you your space and when I come home…’ – Steve he thinks you’ve read the letter, he thinks you don’t forgive him.”

“But I just found it,” Steve frowned. “Hell I don’t know what to do or think now.”

“He doesn’t know that,” Mary said, shaking the letter at him. “Surely you get it Steve – why he lied to us.”

“Of course I do,” Steve snapped, snatching the letter from her hands. “God I – I understand, it’s complicated but I get it.”

“But again, he doesn’t know that,” Mary emphasised. “Because he thinks you’ve read the letter. God I bet he doesn’t even know you were away on a mission this last month. You left for the mission and then he left for Jersey so he wouldn’t have known – fuck this is so messed up.”

Steve was reading the letter again, wide eyed, eyes rushing over the words, “My god I – I can’t believe – Mare they murdered his wife, he nearly died trying to save her. They did that to send a message.”

“That’s why he’s here, far away from it all, nobody knows him, he could begin again and he did,” Mary sighed sadly. “It’s so sad but he was doing okay right up until-.”

“Until I fucked it right back up,” Steve said, standing quickly. “Fuck I’ve been an asshole.”

“Steve you weren’t to know,” Mary shook her head at him. “You had a right to be angry about the lies.”

“Yeah but he thinks I hate him, that I despise him and I don’t,” Steve shook his head. “Fuck I don’t – I miss him. I saw him today across the street and all I wanted to do was go over to him and kiss him.”

“You need to talk to him, explain things, that you hadn’t read the letter,” Mary told him.

“Drive me over?” Steve asked her. “I’ve had a couple of beers or-.”

“Of course I will dork,” Mary said, jumping to her feet and pulling at his arm. “Come on, let’s go.”


	20. Chapter 20

Steve tried to keep his eye off Mary’s speedometer, or comment on how she narrowly missed getting stopped by several red lights between his place and Danny’s. He groaned in relief seeing Danny’s car in the driveway and got out after Mary gave him a kiss on the cheek and wished him luck.

“Seriously if things kick off call me,” Mary told him. “I’ll come around and knock some sense into both of you.”

Steve smiled and went to the front door. Usually, he would have let himself in, but he tapped on the door sharply, feeling suddenly anxious and unsure. He waited nervously until the door opened and Danny looked at him with a look of shock on his face.

“Steve? What- what’re you doing here?” He asked him as Steve stepped forward, making him backtrack a couple of steps. 

Steve held the letter up to him, shaking his head, “This I – I just read this, I just found it stuffed in one of the boxes.”

“The letter,” Danny frowned with a shake of his head. “But I wrote that over a month ago. I thought you’d destroyed it or ignored it.”

“Ignored it? Are you kidding Danny, how could anyone read that and not understand it was written from the heart,” Steve said imploring him with his eyes as he stepped up close, putting his hands on his shoulders. “I needed you to know I’d read it, that I understand now. I couldn’t bear the idea of you thinking I didn’t forgive you or that I was still angry with you.”

“I’m sorry for lying,” Danny said with a croaky, low voice. “I never meant to hurt you, you have to understand that. I never meant for any of this-.”

“I know, I was angry and I wasn’t willing to listen,” Steve said, pulling him close. “I’m so sorry baby.”

Danny wrapped his arms around him and they held each other for a long time before Steve pulled back, cupping Danny’s cheek, “I’ve missed you so much.”

Danny gave a watery smile but couldn’t reply as Steve’s mouth captured his warmly, softly, their lips moving gently together. When they pulled apart again Danny blinked tears from his eyes.

“Maybe we should sit down and talk,” Danny suggested.

“Yeah there are things we both need to say,” Steve told him. “Things I need to tell you to maybe explain my own behaviour in all of this.”

Danny dragged him to the couch and they sat close but able to face one another. Danny could feel his heart beating hard in his chest, he felt like he couldn’t breathe, dared not blink in case this was all a dream.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you to the truth,” Danny said, taking his hand. “At first maybe I had my reasons, but later on, as we got closer I should have been honest with you. I’m sorry I lied, you have to believe me.”

“After that letter, knowing the truth,” Steve shook his head at him. “I understand – I was a jerk, I should have listened when you tried to explain instead of jumping to conclusions.”

“No, you had every right to be angry,” Danny assured him. “When I didn’t hear from you again – I thought things were over. Been the hardest month of my life since -.”

“Since the fire?” Steve asked him. “I’m so sorry Danny, for what they did to you.”

“I was stupid, it was blind stupidity,” Danny said sadly. “I grew up in that neighbourhood, I knew how it operated. There were no secrets, it would have come out eventually what I had done and I put all of my family in danger because of it. One of the reasons I moved so far away was because I knew it would be safer for everyone.”

“You were doing the right thing,” Steve assured him. “There’s nothing wrong in that.”

“There is when people die because of your actions,” Danny reminded him sadly. “She didn’t deserve to die. I didn’t deserve to live, it should have been me-.”

“Don’t say that,” Steve said, moving closer and looking him in the eye. “Don’t ever say that Danny. I’m glad you did survive, I’m sorry about Rachel, but I’m glad you’re here.”

Danny gave a watery smile but didn’t say anything further, looking down at where their hands were clasped, “You know I never thought I’d get a second chance at happiness. The last six months, I wondered when it would all go wrong and I wasn’t surprised I managed to fuck up the only other relationship that has ever meant so much to me.”

Steve raised a hand, tipping Danny’s face up to look at him, leaning in to press a soft kiss to his lips. 

“We both managed to fuck up, but we’re both here trying to fix it too,” Steve reminded him. “I have something I need to tell you. Maybe it will explain my reaction to the lies a little.”

“Okay?” Danny nodded curiously. “You have my attention.”

“Ever notice me and Mare don’t talk about our parents?” Steve asked him. “Especially not our mother?”

“Kinda,” Danny nodded. “I always figured it was hard or painful so I never liked to ask about them.”

“What I’m about to tell you about my mom is – well it’s a big secret, one I only got permission to tell you not long before – well before we broke up,” Steve admitted. “I had to pull a few strings to get that permission because of the nature of the information.”

Danny stared at him with a growing frown, “Jesus Steve, what is it?”

“Our mother died in a car accident when we were kids, I was fifteen and Mare was nine. We were devastated of course,” Steve explained to him. “Her death changed everything, my dad couldn’t handle it and sent me and Mare to live with family on the mainland for a long time as he got over her death. When we came back, he’d changed so much, Mary and I didn’t really understand at first. My dad was a cop and he’d began to investigate my mothers death, he didn’t think it was an accident. He thought it was murder. Turns out it wasn’t either.”

“Huh?” Danny frowned deeper, trying to understand. “What do you mean?”

“My mother wasn’t who she said she was,” Steve continued after taking a deep breath. “Her name wasn’t even Doris – it was a fake name, for a woman who had once been and still was involved with the CIA. She was a spy, a ghost – think mission impossible, James Bond – a spook, an invisible – she didn’t really exist in the world, she was just a name and number.”

Danny stared at him wide eyed, giving a small smile as if he couldn’t’ quite believe Steve was telling him the story, “You’re – you’re kidding right? Your mom was a spy?”

“Yeah – and her past had caught up with her so much that she faked her own death,” Steve informed him. “She left us to go make a new life elsewhere in the world, free of us, free of her past but protected by the system, by the people she worked for.”

“What the hell? Seriously?” Danny asked him, fully serious himself again. “But – how did you find out?”

“Dad was getting closer and closer to the truth, used contacts, dug deep enough until eventually he was approached by the CIA and told everything,” Steve told him. “We were all sworn to secrecy, Dad had to stop his investigations, had to stop looking for my mother – we weren’t allowed to tell anyone, if we did and we were found out, it would mean long prison sentences. I don’t think Dad ever got over the lies, I know me and Mare didn’t – we’ve never been able to forgive her for leaving. She lied to us and she faked her death to be rid of us – what kind of mother does that?”

“You never talk about her, I always assumed it was too painful,” Danny said to him. “But wow babe, I never imagined.”

“We don’t talk about her because she isn’t dead, but she isn’t part of our lives either. Hasn’t been our mother since she abandoned us. A few years ago she tried to get in contact,” Steve explained. “Sent me and Mare letters, saying she wanted to come to Hawaii for a reunion of some kind. Our dad had passed away by then and it was just the two of us – we told her no. I mean how do you re-connect after a lie like that? That kind of betrayal? Do you get why I got so upset about the lying?”

Danny sighed, “Guess we both have fucked up pasts. Least you didn’t kill your mother though-.”

“Danny, you didn’t kill Rachel. The people who started that fire did,” Steve said, sliding along the sofa to sit closer to him.

“What I did – I may as well have lit the match myself,” Danny said sadly. “I knew how things worked, I got cocky, I screwed up and I paid the price.”

Steve put an arm around him and pulled him close, “I’m sorry I didn’t listen when you tried to explain. I should have listened.”

“You had every right to feel angry and hurt,” Danny reminded him. “I should have told you the truth from the start.”

“You have your reasons not to,” Steve told him. “I understand now. I’m sorry it took me so long.”

“I missed you so much,” Danny said, putting his arms around him and holding him tight. “I went away to try and get over you. Should have known it was an impossible task. I love you.”

“I love you too,” Steve said quietly. “And I’m sorry about Rachel. I can’t imagine what that must have been like to go through.”

“It was a long time ago,” Danny said softly without letting go. “A different life, everything has changed now. I had to learn to live, couldn’t be the person I wanted to be, but I had to keep living. My Ma, she told me I had to try and be happy and I am, with you I am.”

“I was stupid and selfish, leaving the way I did,” Steve admitted sadly. “I should have given you a chance to explain instead of getting so angry and leaving like I did. I’m sorry Danny, I really am.”

“We both made stupid mistakes,” Danny agreed, pulling back a little. “Looks like we’re making amends though.”

“Mary will be pleased,” Steve teased with a small smile. “She’s been going stir crazy with me for moping around. Couldn’t drive me here fast enough.”

Danny smiled, staring at him with a longing in his eyes. Steve cupped his jaw as Danny’s fingers tugged at his shirt until their mouths connected and they hungrily kissed, desire growing between them as they connected.


	21. Chapter 21

“Kay, you ready?” Danny asked. He’d shut the place early, sent Kono home so they could have some privacy. Steve was already out of his pants and lying half naked on the reclined chair.

Steve put his hands behind his head and grinned at him, “As ready as I’ll ever be.”

Danny smiled and cleaned the area before getting his equipment ready. He’d finalised the sketch and had it propped up nearby for reference. He’d committed some pre-outlines to judge the size of the design, but he was going to do a lot of the intricate details free hand.

“Tell me if it gets too much,” Danny reminded him as he pulled up his stool closer, starting from just under Steve’s hip. The design would cover most of his upper thigh and dip into the inner thigh eventually, but it would take a few sittings before it was finalised.

He got to work, putting needle to skin and watching as black lines began to emerge where his steady hands moved over Steve’s skin. He was leaning against Steve’s thigh and felt him tense a moment before relaxing again after the first initial touch. He didn’t remark on it, it was a natural reaction and it wasn’t like Steve hadn’t been inked before. After ten minutes, he glanced up to see what Steve was doing and saw him watching the TV nonchalantly which made him smile. He preferred a client who could switch off the pain, meant he could lose himself in the work without having to make conversation. Even though it was Steve, Danny preferred the quiet, he enjoyed creating his art and the craft of ‘ink’. After a half hour, he sat back to look down at the art. He hadn’t covered a large area, but he could see the outline starting to take shape. Against Steve’s tanned skin, it already looked impressive and Danny knew over various sessions it would be a joy to see the piece transition from mere simple outlines.

After his first initial sketches of Steve’s already unique arm tats and mixing in his own designs and creativity, he’d put a few out for his clients to choose. They’d proven popular which had spurred Danny to design more and his sketch book was full of more intricate designs and he’d taken to colours as well as simple black outlined sketches. One of his clients had asked him to design a piece to draw up the length of her spine with a larger detailed area on the neck. Another had asked for an arm sleeve. The business was really taking off from the pieces, but his favourite, the one he’d poured his passion into was the piece for Steve. He’d refused to commit to doing the tat until he was happy the design was perfect and what Steve really wanted.

After nearly two hours, Danny sat up, back aching a little from bending over so long. The design was half done and needed detailing, but he could already vision the end result. With a smile, he cleaned the area, looking up at Steve who looked almost zoned out. Some people were like that with the pain, channelled it rather than let it overcome them. He wasn’t surprised Steve was able to relax from the needle.

“Think we’ll call it a day,” Danny told him as he prepped the area to cover it up. “How’d you like it so far?”

Steve sat up further and looked down with a grin, “Looks fucking amazing baby.” 

Danny smiled at the compliment, “Well I’m glad you like, because it’s tough shit if you didn’t.”

Steve laughed and let him wrap it although the angle was a little awkward. Danny reeled off the rules for keeping it clean though he knew Steve knew already. He handed him a tube of cream. 

“Keep applying some of that, helps keep it sterile,” Danny explained. He squeezed Steve’s knee as he moved his chair back. “You’re done, you can put your pants back on now.”

Steve gave him a coy look and a small shrug as he reclined back a little, looking at him through those impossibly long eyelashes of his. Danny felt his stomach twist at that look, a shudder of passion running right up his spine.

“Didn’t you tell me if I was very good, I’d get a reward?” Steve asked him with a pout. “I lay still and everything.”

“Well, that is true,” Danny had to agree, nodding his head in thought. “You were very very good baby. I figured I’d buy a couple of rounds at the bar. Won’t that do you?”

“Maybe later,” Steve said to him. “But right now – I can think of other ways you can reward me for good behaviour.”

“I’m sure you can,” Danny smiled, sitting forward, hand sliding further up Steve’s thigh. “But I’m not a mind reader Steve. Why not just tell me what you think you deserve and I’ll decide whether you’ve earned it or not.”

“You’re so good with your hands Danny,” Steve groaned softly. “Want to feel them wrapped around my cock as you jerk me off.”

“Ah baby,” Danny smiled, reaching up further until his fingers grazed Steve’s cock, already half-mast and getting harder fast. “Remember that ink I just put on your skin. You’ve got to be real careful the first twenty-four hours, so you don’t ruin the design. I know you can’t lie still when I get you off, hips bucking all over, body writhing. It’s hot but not so much for that tattoo you’re now wearing.”

“I’ll be still,” Steve promised. “You know I can be. I promise. Please, Danny, it’s what I want and you promised.”

“Fuck you’re such a naughty boy,” Danny teased as Steve pulled off his t-shirt and stretched out, flexing his muscles as he reached up with his hands, grasping the back of the head of the chair and lifting his hips a little before he stretched out his legs. “Look at you pouting, batting those god damn eyelashes, flirting to get what you want.”

Steve spread his knees and stared at him, licking his lips as he waited. Danny stared and swallowed down, turned on by his boyfriends obvious desire.

“Such a fucking tease,” Danny said under his breath, moving his chair round to the side him, the side he hadn’t been inked on in case he accidentally put pressure on the area. “You like it don’t you? Being a tease? Being naughty?”

He leaned on Steve’s thigh with his elbows, both hands grasping his cock. His left made a tight ‘o’ at the bottom of his shaft while the other he rubbed up and down Steve’s cock slowly.

“Fuck yeah,” Steve groaned. “Yes I like it. Especially if it gets you to do this – fuck.”

Steve arched and moaned, hips twitching. Danny tightened his right hand, squeezing his cock tightly. “Uh uh, lie still or I’ll have to stop. You don’t want me to stop do you baby?”

“No,” Steve moaned out. “No don’t stop Danny. Please.”

“Fuck if I hadn’t just put a tat on you I’d ride you right now,” Danny moaned out as he moved his hand up and down again. He pulled it away and sloppily licked and wet his palm before getting a grip on Steve again, the slick helping as he jerked him off. “Love to ride your big, thick cock baby.”

“Fuck I know it,” Steve groaned in agreement. “Love sinking deep into you, hearing you beg for it. You’re a fucking slut for it Danny.”

“I’m the slut?” Danny laughed teasingly as his hand worked Steve’s shaft, thumb rubbing hard over the head every upstroke he made. “I’m not the one naked and begging for it babe. Jesus fuck you’re hot.”

“Fuck, get me off and I’ll suck you off,” Steve moaned louder, back arching and Danny stilled again, holding him, waiting for him to lie still again. Steve groaned at the loss of movement and gripped the headrest of the chair tighter, arm muscles flexing from the hold. “Danny – c’mon – please – quit teasing.”

“I told you,” Danny said firmly. “Lie still and be good or you don’t get to come.”

“Trying,” Steve grunted with a heavy pant. 

“Try harder,” Danny told him as he began again, slowly, building Steve back up again. “Fuck baby I’m going to get faster, going to really jerk this fat, throbbing cock of yours. You’re gonna moan and beg and let me hear how much you love it, but you’ll lie perfectly still while I work you. If you move, arch, writhe, anything Steve and I’ll stop. I’ll squeeze and pull at your balls until you got tears in your eyes, you’ll get dressed, we’ll go home and you’ll be desperate for it, you’ll be begging me for it and I won’t touch you until you can prove you can be good for me.”

“Christ, you’re a fucking tease Dann-oh,” Steve moaned again, tightening everything so as not to move to much as Danny’s grip tightened and got faster. Danny worked his cock hard and fast, even leaning down to lick at the head a few times. Steve swallowed down a gasp and fought with every ounce of willpower to lay still. He didn’t doubt Danny would follow through on his promise to stop and Steve couldn’t imagine going through with the rest of the evening without coming right then and there.

“Danno?” Danny laughed lightly without letting up. “That’s a new one.”

“Killing me here,” Steve groaned, pleasure pooling deep in his gut, tingling up his spine. “Fuck – Danny – oh god-.”

“Yeah baby, I know what you need,” Danny promised. Steve was tense, body tight, muscles clenched, like his whole body was ready to snap. Danny was under no illusion given different circumstances, like in a fight, Steve could take him before he’d have a chance to get in a punch or two. That against an enemy Steve would be all guns blazing, be the hero, the guy you wanted on your side. The soldier in him was something Danny respected and loved; but he also loved this side of Steve, the guy who loved pleasure and gave him everything he asked for, even surrendering some control for a few minutes to really enjoy what Danny had to give him. The big, tough Navy SEAL taking orders just to get off – Danny took immense pleasure in rewarding him for that trust.

“Fuck I – I need to come,” Steve gasped, eyes shut tight, head arched back. Danny could see the flex of his muscles as he gripped the headrest, held in that limbo where the pleasure was just too much but not enough to send him over the edge. “Danny – fucking Christ – Danny, make me come baby. Oh fuck your hands – c’mon Danny-.”

Danny slowed down, tightening his fingers in their ‘o’ at the base of his shaft and slowly, softly grazing his fingertips up and down the hard throbbing shaft of Steve’s cock. He smiled when Steve actually whimpered, a stuttering, shuddering groan that came right from deep down. Steve panted out a gasp at the softness, that touch holding him right on the edge.

“So fucking beautiful like this,” Danny murmured, enjoying the view of his boyfriend well and truly lost in pleasure now. “Could watch you like this forever.”

“Oh – god -,” Steve gasped, Danny watched his chest rise and fall heavily, stomach dipping, still holding still. Oh yes, his Navy SEAL knew how to follow orders and fuck that was hot. “Dan – ny. Jesus. Fuck.”

Danny smiled, took one last look at his boyfriends hot body now sheened in a thin layer of sweat before he took pity on him. He leaned down, wrapped his mouth around the leaking head of Steve’s cock and jerked his hand up once, twice, sucking hard and on the third listened to Steve growl loud and deep before he yelled out his name and came.

When he finally lifted up and let go, Steve was panting, lax and limp on the seat looking dazed and wrung out. Danny licked his lips, grinning like a cat who’d got the cream as Steve stared at him, slack jawed and impressed.

“Jesus where’d you learn to be so fucking -,” Steve sighed with a small laugh.

“Naughty, dirty, teasing?” Danny finished for him with a laugh in reply. He glanced over the covered area of Steve’s tattoo before sliding his chair back and grabbing his pants, tossing them at him. “C’mon, get dressed.”

“Isn’t there something I can do for you?” Steve asked with raised brows, looking at Danny’s groin and seeing the hard bulge there.

“Fuck yeah,” Danny nodded. “But you got a fresh tat to think about too. I’m sure you’ll come up with something to get me off that doesn’t involve messing with your new ink.”

“But not right now?” Steve asked him with a disappointed look.

Danny grinned and shook his head at him as he stood up, giving his aching back a stretch.

“Babe, I got patience, I can wait,” Danny laughed. “Can’t a guy give his boyfriend a hand job without receiving something back immediately? Besides, doesn’t it turn you on knowing I’m hard for you? Even if we don’t deal with that right away?”

“Fuck you know you’re a cock tease right?” Steve groaned as he eased on his pants.

“Hell yeah babe I know,” Danny laughed. “C’mon, I’m starved after all this work. Buy me dinner then I look forward to what you come up with for desert.”


	22. Chapter 22

Danny checked over the tat that night, cleaning the area for Steve and rubbing on some ointment though Steve said the pain was bearable.

“I’ve felt worse,” Steve pointed out and Danny didn’t question what that worse was. He’d committed most of Steve’s scars to memory though half he didn’t know the stories of because of the secrecy of Steve’s job. “C’mere.”

Danny smiled and moved upwards, half leaning against him as Steve’s fingers brushed over his back and shoulders.

“You know, you never did tell me the reason for this,” Steve said in thought, fingers trailing over the tattoo on the back of Danny’s shoulder.

“Thought you would have figured it out by now,” Danny said a little shyly. He still felt bad because of the secrets he’d kept about his scars and Rachel’s death, even though there was nothing to feel bad about now the truth had made things right between them. 

“Well, I sort of guessed the numbers are dates – not the fire though, because that wasn’t this long ago, so wedding day or-?” Steve said carefully, not pushing for answers. He understood if Danny didn’t want to talk about it.

“Anniversary,” Danny admitted quietly. “Of the day we met. We were together a few years before we got married, so it was always the more important one in a way. She never forgot it and I always did so I got the tattoo, which made her laugh because it’s in a place I can’t directly see.”

“And the words?” Steve asked him. “My Italian never was that good.”

Danny gave a small smile, “ _Ti amerò finchè ho vita_ \- 'I will love you while I still have life'. I had the writing added after I left New Jersey, it was my way of holding onto her I guess. She was my wife Steve, I loved her, part of me still loves her even if I can move on and fall in love again, you get that right?”

“Course I do,” Steve nodded. “I understand Danny, considering the circumstances, it’s a nice way to remember her by.”

Danny sat up and grinned, “You never know. Maybe I’ll get our anniversary date tattooed somewhere on me one day.”

“If you remember it,” Steve laughed with a nod.

“May 18th – I remember because it’s the day after my Mom’s birthday. It was the first day Petals opened,” Danny pointed out to him, laughing at Steve’s surprise that he remembered. “I’d met Mary a few times, she never told me she had a hot brother. I remember when I saw you through the window, you know when I brought over the coffee and brownies? I thought damn, I hope he’s just a friend of hers.”

Steve laughed and rolled his eyes at him with a shake of his head, “What if it had turned out I was straight?”

Danny shrugged in thought before he laughed out loud, “Well, I could have lusted from afar. Still would have jerked off over you like I did. I’d like to think we would have been friends too.”

“You jerked off thinking of me?” Steve grinned. “Right away?”

“Uh, have you seen you?” Danny said, hands doing a full sweep of Steve’s body. “You’re a walking wet dream babe. I imagine you’ve got plenty of men and women hot n sweaty every night before they go to sleep thinking of you. Only I’m lucky – I get the real thing now, they don’t. God I came hard that first time – had been a while since anyone got me turned on like you did from first glance. Now I got a fantasy about you fucking me over the counter where we first met – only I think Mary would kick my ass all around the world if we ever attempted it.”

“I think so,” Steve laughed with a nod. “But still, interesting thoughts you got there Danno.”

Danny frowned and gave a shake of his head, “Is that going to be a thing now?”

“What, Danno?” Steve asked, tilting his head and smiling. “Yeah I think so. Gives me good memories so yes, definitely. Anyway, back to this fantasy of yours – fucked over the counter huh?”

“Yeah and it’ll remain that way,” Danny told him firmly. “And Mary won’t ever hear about it.”

“Is that what you fantasized about when you jerked off about me that first time?” Steve asked.

“Oh yeah,” Danny nodded, smiling at the memory. It was several months ago now, but he remembered it had felt more than good and had been deeply satisfying.

“I’ve decided what I want for desert,” Steve smiled, sitting up and leaning back against the headrest. “I want you to tell me about it while you jerk off for me.”

Danny sat up himself and looked at him with a raised brow. Steve motioned to his new tattoo, “You’re the one telling me to take it easy these first hours while the ink really settles. Not exactly easy to fuck you, although I’m sure we can think of something if you really want me too. Or you can imagine me fucking you and tell me all about it at the same time.”

Danny smiled and pushed up his pillows against the headrest, leaning up beside him, “I got a better idea. You jerk me off while I tell you my fantasy.”

“A compromise,” Steve laughed with a nod. “Agreed.”

Danny leaned over and kissed him softly, letting out a gentle gasp when Steve’s hand trailed softly down his chest and stomach. Steve turned onto his non-tattooed side carefully and got comfortable, hand resting on Danny’s stomach and rubbing softly there as he pressed his lips against his shoulder.

“So like I said, I first saw you through the window in the store,” Danny started, closing his eyes and concentrating on Steve’s hand as he touched and caressed. “God I thought you were hot. Seriously, fucking beautiful – you were talking to Mary I think, reading something on the counter so I got to watch for a few minutes un-noticed. I had to use those few minutes to calm down because I could feel my balls getting tight, my cock stirring.”

Steve’s hand smoothed down over his stomach and over his groin, softly rubbing back and forth. Danny relaxed, opening his legs a little more to Steve’s touch.

“So I walked in, willing my cock not to get harder but when you looked up and saw me – fuck those eyes,” Danny sighed happily.

“Glad it wasn’t just me who got a little flustered that first meeting,” Steve smiled, leaning over to lick at Danny’s nipple gently. 

“So you know,” Danny continued with a soft gasp. “How that little meeting ended – but there I was, walking out of Petals, sporting a hard on and – fuck - in full blown lust with you and it’s where my fantasy really begins-that first meeting going a little more different than reality.”


	23. Chapter 23

_“I don’t,” Steve replied. “It’s my sisters.”_

_“I know,” Danny smiled, leaning on the counter and taking all of Steve in. Fuck he was getting hard looking at him. Those eyes, that jaw, the toned lines of his body showing through his t-shirt which was tight against his body. “I was teasing.”_

_“You like to tease huh?” Steve asked, sizing him up immediately. He could see the way Danny was looking at him, he had a hard time keeping the lust out of his eyes. Danny sucked on his lower lip with his teeth and nodded slowly. Steve stared at his mouth and wondered what he tasted like._

_“Yeah I do,” Danny replied honestly. “Mary around?”_

_“No, had trouble with some supplies so she’s chasing up on that,” Steve shook his head. “Left me in charge.”_

_“I bet you like that,” Danny smiled, eyeing him up and down again. He liked the way Steve flexed his muscles as he stood straighter and stared at him. Definitely got military vibes from him, he wondered if he was Army, Navy, USAF maybe? “You seem the type who likes being in charge and giving orders.”_

_“You’re a good judge of character,” Steve smirked with a sharp nod. “That’s exactly the type of guy I am. You seem like the kind of person who finds that – attractive.”_

_“I’m not denying anything,” Danny shrugged and shook his head, laughing lightly. “Definitely find you attractive.”_

_Steve moved around the counter, not breaking eye contact with him, “You really are a tease aren’t you Williams.”_

_“Danny please,” Danny said, feeling his chest sharpen as he breathed, Steve drew nearer to him._

_“I think Williams will do for now,” Steve informed him. “While we get to know one another better.”_

_“What’ll I call you?” Danny asked, breath hitching as Steve moved around him, placing both hands either side of him on the counter but still not touching him. Steve was taller and his body was like a solid wall of muscle in front of him. Danny wanted to strip him down and lick him all over._

_“Well when I’m in charge or give orders, people generally call me Sir,” Steve informed him._

_Danny’s cock gave a small throb at that and he gasped audibly, embarrassed at the sound. He flushed and tried to glance away, but Steve had him mesmerised._

_“Yeah, you like that idea don’t you Williams?” Steve asked him. “Is it me being in charge? My giving you an order? Or you calling me Sir that really turns you on?”_

_“All three,” Danny found himself saying, wondering when he’d become so brazen in his attraction and need for this person._

_“You look the greedy type,” Steve said with a smile. “Bottom too huh? Those are the best kind, greedy bottoms – can’t get enough of my cock, just keep begging for it.”_

_Danny gasped, wondering when Steve had gotten closer. They were chest to chest now and Steve was pressing harder against him, sliding a thigh between his legs and lifting his knee a little. His thigh was broad and muscled and Danny could feel its firmness pressing against his bulge. He swallowed down and went to say something, but Steve shook his head as he kept firm eye contact with him._

_“Don’t talk,” Steve ordered quickly. “You got a quick mouth, maybe I’ll put it to good use some time. Right now, you’re going to listen to me.”_

_Danny let out a soft groan as Steve’s thigh rubbed against his cock through his pants._

_“Yeah you like that don’t you,” Steve said, moving more purposefully now. He lowered his thigh before lifting it again, higher this time, really rubbing him and Danny had to lift up on his toes as Steve dragged his thigh and knee up hard against him. He groaned louder this time. Steve smiled as he watched him. “Fuck if I kept going you’d probably come like this wouldn’t you?”_

_Danny gasped again, hands gripping onto the counter behind him, using it as leverage to lift up as Steve dragged his thigh back and forth over and over. His moans becoming louder, but he didn’t say a word. Steve stopped and pressed up hard against him, a hand sliding up his back and into his hair._

_“Oh you’re a very good boy Williams,” Steve whispered as he lowered his head down towards him. “You follow orders very well.”_

_Steve kissed him hard, making Danny groan and press back against him hungrily. He was turned on and wanted more, greedy, that was what Steve had called him and he was right. He had an insatiable need for him right at that moment._

_Steve pulled away and stepped back, leaving him panting against the counter, “Stay right where you are.”_

_Danny didn’t dare move, wondering what Steve would do next, hoping it involved getting naked and getting off. Steve walked away, but only to turn the latch on the door and pull the blind down. He walked back over to him slowly, looking like a predator who was toying with its prey._

_“Strip,” Steve ordered, halting before he reached him, staying beyond arms-length._

_Danny didn’t need to be asked twice, pulling off his t-shirt and tossing it to the floor before kicking off his flip flops and dropping his shorts, kicking them aside also. His cock stood hard and erect between his legs and he unashamedly leaned back against the counter, legs firmly apart so Steve could see all of him._

_“Like what you see?” Danny asked him with a smirk._

_“Fuck yeah,” Steve nodded. “I figure I’ll get fully acquainted with your dick the next time, but right now you’re going to get acquainted with mine. Turn around.”_

_“Yes Sir,” Danny smiled, turning quickly._

_“Bend over the counter, widen your legs,” Steve growled._

~  
“Roll over.”

“Wh - what?” Danny gasped, breathing heavy as Steve pulled his hand away. “Steve – babe.”

“On your stomach,” Steve growled. “C’mon Danny.”

Danny blinked, got with the program and rolled onto his stomach, moaning as his aching cock scraped against the sheets. He hugged the pillow to his chest and half paid attention to what Steve was doing as he fumbled in the side drawer.

“Steve?” Danny said waiting.

“Keep going baby,” Steve urged. “You’re bent over the counter -.”

Danny let out a small moan as he felt a lubed finger rub at his hole, “I’m bent over the counter, legs wide and you move up behind me, kicking them wider still and fuck that turns me on even more-“

~

_Danny pressed his chest against the counter and reached up to hold onto the end, feeling Steve press his crotch up against him and rub his bulge against his ass._

_“This what you want greedy boy?” Steve asked him. “Want my cock? Because, fuck, you got me hard Williams. Had me hard as soon as you walked through the door.”_

_“Yeah I want your cock,” Danny moaned out, dirty and loud. “Want you to fuck me, please.”_

_“So greedy,” Steve said, hands running up his back as he continued to tease, pressing his hard bulge against the curve of Danny’s ass. “Feel how hard you got me?”_

_“Fuck c’mon, fuck me now,” Danny urged, pressing back against him._

_“I like hearing you beg,” Steve laughed as he stood straighter, undoing his belt and unzipping his pants before he greased up his hand and freed his cock._

_“Yeah?” Danny asked, wriggling his ass and pushing back against him again. “Fuck me Sir, please fuck me, want to feel your hard, thick cock pounding me, stretching open my greedy ass. Fuck me hard and fast Sir, I need a good fucking.”_

~

“Oh fu – Steve-,” Danny gasped out, gripping the pillows tighter as Steve pushed two fingers into his hole deep. He spread his knees wider on the bed and his cock pressed and dragged against the sheets. “Yes babe, fuck, harder, faster.”

“Yeah baby? Feel good? Just how you like it,” Steve asked him, beginning to finger his ass quickly, spearing him with his two digits hard and fast.

“Oh god yeah,” Danny moaned, pressing his ass up greedily. “More baby, more-.”

“Ask like it’s your fantasy,” Steve whispered half in his ear, making Danny shiver at the close proximity.

 

Danny moaned and swallowed down hard, images of his fantasy clear in his brain, his fantasy self, moaning as begging as Steve fucked him hard against the counter top.

“Fuck me Sir, harder, fuck, yes,” Danny gasped out, moaning louder as Steve’s fingers speared deep, curled and dragged back before pressing in again. “Yes deep, fuck me deeper Sir fuck – oh fuck Steve yeah, yes please, please.”

“Move your ass Danny, work that cock against the sheets,” Steve urged with a groan. “Fuck can you see yourself Danny, fucked against that counter, cock pressed up against it, leaking everywhere as I fuck you hard and fast.”

“Fuck yes,” Danny groaned, humping the sheets, Steve’s fingers working open his hole. They pressed deeper still as Danny moaned louder, arching and writhing his cock against the sheets as Steve’s fingers brushed that spot deep inside him. “Oh – fu – Steve – fuck babe, yeah – right there – fu-oh god, oh my god.”

“Yeah, right there baby? That the spot?” Steve asked him, leaning in to nibble at his earlobe. Danny panted hard as Steve relentlessly tortured his prostate.

“Ohmygod, babe, fucking – yeah, yes,” Danny couldn’t concentrate on any one thing, mind full of images of Steve fucking him, aroused, turned on, cock throbbing against the sheets, body completely lost to the sensations his partner aroused in him. “Steve gonna make me come babe – gonna come, fucking – fuck -.”

“Yeah Danno, come on baby,” Steve urged him. “I’m fucking you up against that counter and fuck your so close – just my cock pounding your sweet tight ass has you close, so close and you want to come don’t you baby. Want to come just from me fucking you hard and fast-.”

“Steve, jesus, fuck, yeah – yes -,” Danny panted, yelling out, writhing and bucking his hips quick against the sheets as Steve drove his fingers deep one last time and rubbed hard at that spot inside that made him groan loudly, bright lights stabbing the back of his eyes as he squeezed them tight shut. “Oh – oh fuck Steve, Steve!”

Danny collapsed in a heap of spent limbs against the mattress, moaning as Steve pulled away his hand and sagging against his pillows, spent of strength.

“Holy fuck babe,” Danny moaned happily. “That was – fucking –“

Steve laughed and got comfortable beside him, hand resting against his back, “That’s one hell of a fantasy you had for a first meeting Danno.”


	24. Chapter 24

“Hey,” Steve smiled as he walked into Petals to find Danny perched on a stool behind the counter, sketchbook in hand. 

“Hi,” Danny grinned as Steve moved around the counter and gave him a kiss. 

“What are you doing here?” Steve asked. “You lost?”

Danny laughed and showed him a page on which he’d sketched several variations of flowers.

“Had a spate of clients wanting flower designs so I thought I’d take some new sketches, figured this was a good place for some inspiration and Mare doesn’t mind me hanging out,” Danny explained, putting the pad down and looking up at him expectantly. “So come on, when are you leaving?”

Steve gave him an apologetic look as he leaned back on the counter. He’d received a call to the base and had been there a few hours to get caught up on the latest intel for a mission.

“Not for a few days,” He replied honestly. “This one is – it’s kinda personal.”

“Yeah?” Danny asked him, looking at him with some concern. “Anything you can tell me about?”

“Maybe later,” Steve said with a shrug. “Tonight, when we’re at home.”

“Okay,” Danny nodded in understanding. “Do you know how long you’ll be gone for?”

“A week, two tops but this one has been planned for months,” Steve explained. “It’s fairly straightforward, or it should be.”

“But you can’t plan everything,” Danny said, looking at him closely. “Hey, you okay?”

“Like I said,” Steve said, moving closer to him. “This one is personal – I got stuff on my mind, that’s all.”

He stole a kiss, grateful of the contact and the comfort the feeling gave him before he leaned into Danny and picked up his sketch pad. 

“These are really good,” Steve smiled, always impressed with Danny’s talent.

“Thank you,” Danny replied. “We’ll have to put finishing yours on hold I guess.”

“Yeah, probably not a good idea to add to it before I go on the mission,” Steve agreed.

“Hey you two, no canoodling in the front of store,” Mary laughed as she walked through from the back shop. 

“Good job she doesn’t know about that fantasy of yours,” Steve whispered in Danny’s ear before standing straighter. Danny chuckled and elbowed him in the ribs gently. “Hey Mare.”

“Hey yourself,” Mary smiled as she re-arranged some flower pots. “What you up to today?”

“I’ve been to the base,” Steve explained. “I’ll be leaving in a few days, hopefully not for too long.”

“Oh,” Mary said, looking over at him with a frown. “Let me know okay?”

“You know I will,” Steve nodded.

The bell on the door jingled as a customer entered and Mary turned her attention to them.

“You busy this afternoon?” Steve asked Danny. “I was thinking of taking a drive -.”

He glanced away out of the window and Danny could see a faraway look in his eyes, wistful and thoughtful.

“Can’t babe sorry,” Danny apologised. “Got a client in a half hour, I should go set up.”

“Okay,” Steve said quietly with a small nod, standing straighter. “Well, I guess I’ll see you tonight at my place then, yeah?”

He was already moving around the counter and about to head for the door. Danny stood quickly with a frown and followed him as Steve said a quick goodbye to Mary, giving her customer an apologetic look for the interruption.

“Hey,” Danny said, grabbing his arm before he walked off down the street. “You okay?”

Steve shook his head, heaving a heavy sigh and giving him a strange look, “I’m sorry Danny. I have things on my mind – I feel like I need to take off you know? Only for a few hours, to clear my head, think things over.”

“Yeah I got that,” Danny smiled, pulling him closer. “Don’t forget to come home okay? I still get to have you to myself for a few days before you take off and I plan on making the most of that time.”

Steve smiled and put and arm around him, leaning in to kiss him, “I’ll be back in a few hours. I’ll see you tonight.”

The kiss was gentle and lingering between them before the pulled apart, “See you soon babe.”

“Bye.”

Danny watched him walk to his car, climbing into the Silverado and giving him a small wave before he pulled away. It wasn’t like Steve to be so distracted, so Danny knew there was definitely more than a mere straightforward mission if it had him so off kilter. He lingered by Petals door until Mary’s customer left and she came to the doorway, giving him a knowing look.

“He didn’t seem himself,” She said with a look of worry.

“He said it’s kind of personal,” Danny explained to her. 

Mary sighed and leaned on his shoulder, giving a grimace, “Underneath that tough guy exterior, my brothers pretty sensitive.”

“Yeah I’ve figured that,” Danny smiled, putting an arm around her companionably. “You’re not such a tough cookie yourself Mare.”

“I could kick both your asses and you know it,” Mary goofed, giving him a hug and sobering a little. “You know how it is with these missions Danny – he can’t tell us much, can’t be easy. I worry about him sometimes.”

“You aren’t the only one,” Danny pointed out to her.

“Used to be just me worrying,” Mary smiled softly, “Kind of nice to have someone who understands what it’s like to be the one waiting at home. It’s been just the two of us for so long, I’m glad I’ve got you too you know. It’s not only my big brother who got lucky you moved into the neighbourhood New Jersey.”

“Thanks, Mary, that means a lot,” Danny said, giving her a soft kiss on the cheek. “How about we find out when he’s definitely taking off and you come over for food, drinks. Something tells me he’ll be glad of the distraction.”


	25. Chapter 25

“Cappuccino,” Danny said, setting the cup on the counter as Mary covered her mouth and yawned. “And brownies.”

Mary smiled and leaned on an elbow, looking at him with a grateful sigh, “Thank you. It’s been a long day.”

“I just locked up my place, you need a hand closing?” Danny asked her.

“Nah, Jenna just got back,” Mary shook her head. “We’re about to shut shop. You heard from Steve?”

“No,” Danny shook his head. “It’s only been a few days, why, have you?”

“Nope,” Mary replied, picking up her coffee.

“I’ve been thinking,” Danny said, leaning on the counter and opening the bag of brownies, helping himself to one. Mary took one for herself. “What do you two do over the holidays? Steve’s mentioned you’ve got family on the mainland, do you go visit or-?”

“No, not usually,” Mary replied in thought. “The last few years we’ve just hung out here at home. Aunt Deb is on a cruise this year, why?”

“I was thinking of asking Steve to come to New Jersey for Thanksgiving,” Danny informed her. “And I want you to come too. I’d like you both to meet my family, my Ma will adore you both, I know it.”

“Aw Danny, you really want me to come along too?” Mary asked him with slight surprise. “That’s real nice of you, I mean I don’t have to if you want to go just with Steve I’d understand-.”

“I want you to come, Mare,” Danny told her. “Anyway, I wouldn’t dream of making you spend Thanksgiving alone, wouldn’t be fair to steal Steve away like that. Honestly, I’d love for you to come home and meet the family.”

Mary smiled before moving around the counter and giving him a big squeeze, holding onto him a little longer than usual, “Thanks, Danny – it’s real nice of you. Real nice, I’d love to come.”

Danny squeezed her back before she pulled away, looking a little teary, but she didn’t waver from her usual laid back self and took a bite of her brownie as she composed herself. She took another sip of coffee and gave Danny a curious look.

“Can I ask you a question?” She asked him carefully. 

“Shoot,” Danny said with a nod.

“I understand if you don’t want to talk about it,” Mary assured him. “Only – after what happened, you know, all those years ago and why you left in the first place – isn’t it hard to go back, Danny? Being back there, where nothing much has changed by the sounds of it.”

“Yeah it’s tough,” Danny nodded, looking her in the eye. “First time was the hardest, it got easier, but it’s still there you know, lingering, like a shadow just over my shoulder or something. But it’s home, my family is there and I couldn’t cut them off completely. I can’t imagine it’s any easier for you or Steve, I mean you live here, Steve’s lives in what used to be your childhood home. I bet that place comes with a lot of memories of life before your mom – well, you know- left.”

“Yeah I guess,” Mary nodded in agreement. “You sort of learn to live with the hurt.”

“You do,” Danny nodded sombrely. “Look when I do go home to visit, I keep my head down, keep myself to myself you know? There are times it’s easier than others. But anyway, enough of the serious talk okay? So it’s a yes right? You’ll come with us if Steve wants to come too?”

“Yes of course,” Mary grinned with a nod. “Wouldn’t miss it.”


	26. Chapter 26

Danny frowned when there was a knock at his door a little after ten at night. He turned the TV on low and went to the door, warily opening it a crack before throwing it wider. Steve stood on his porch looking weary and worn out though he cracked a smile when he saw him. Danny pulled him close and threw his arms around him.

“Why didn’t you call? I’d have collected you from the base,” Danny said as Steve put his arms around him tightly and buried his face into his neck.

“Been a tough day,” Steve murmured against him. “Didn’t really think, just caught a cab and came straight here.”

Danny manoeuvred them indoors somehow and shut the door, managing to pull away from Steve’s grasp enough to get a good look at him. He cupped his face and looked him in the eye with concern. 

“Hey you okay? You look wiped out,” Danny said carefully. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Steve shook his head, not convincing Danny as he hugged him close again. “I missed you.”

“Missed you too,” Danny replied, rubbing a hand up and down his back. “Come sit down. Are you hungry? I can make you something up.”

“No,” Steve shook his head as Danny pushed him towards the couch though Steve seemed reluctant to settle. “No, I’m good. I should call Mary, tell her I’m home.”

Steve stood staring at him long enough that Danny got uncomfortable from the scrutiny, giving a small squirm before giving him a smile, “Are you gonna call Mary or are you gonna stare all night?”

“I missed you,” Steve said, taking his hand, leaning on the back of the sofa heavily, looking like he could fall asleep right there.

“So you’ve told me,” Danny nodded, frowning. “What is it, Steve? You’re all out of sorts babe.”

“Ask me later,” Steve whispered, before he yawned. “I should go crash. Been travelling nearly forty eight hours, I didn’t sleep much on the plane ride.”

“You go crash,” Danny said with a smile. “Can’t talk to you when you’re so out of it.”

Steve nodded, still watching him like a hawk. Danny laughed and shook his head at him, moving closer, “Steve, go to bed. Go on, I’m not going anywhere.”

“C’mere,” Steve sighed, pulling him closer, hands around his waist. Danny went willingly and the kiss between them was soft and gentle. When they broke off Steve pressed his forehead against his. Danny cupped his face again, fingers running along his jawline gently and Steve leaned into the touch.

“I missed you too,” Danny reminded him with a small smile. “Go to bed, catch some zzz’s and we’ll talk properly when you’re capable of stringing a sentence together okay?”

“Okay,” Steve nodded.

“I’ll call or message Mary, tell her you’re home,” Danny assured him, giving him another quick kiss. “Go on, bed.”

Steve disappeared into the bedroom and Danny checked the front door. Steve had dumped his bags by the door and Danny left them to be dealt with in the morning. With a smile he messaged Mary to say Steve was home at his place; that he was tired from travelling and promised to make Steve call her in the morning first thing. Although part of him wanted to join Steve in the bedroom, there was little he’d be able to do but stare at him so Danny left Steve to catch up on his sleep, reluctant to go to bed to toss and turn when he really wasn’t that tired. It was another hour and a half when he went into the bedroom, where he found Steve still dressed, asleep on top of the sheets. Danny was thankful he’d managed to remember to kick off his boots before lying down, but he wasn’t about to leave him as he was so he carefully woke him.

“Babe, c’mon wake up for a minute or two,” Danny coaxed him. “Get undressed and under the covers.”

Steve woke with a start, groaning, stretching before sitting up and looking a little more bright-eyed than he had when he’d first walked through the door.

“How long I been asleep for?” Steve asked as he sat up.

“Only an hour and a half,” Danny explained. “You know now you’re home, you can sleep unclothed and under the covers.”

Steve smiled and stood up, unbuttoning his shirt, “Yeah, I only lay back for a minute – must have crashed out.”

“You look better for only getting an hour,” Danny smiled. “You’ll feel fresh tomorrow after a good night’s rest.

“Feel fresher now,” Steve said grinning over at him. “You’re a sight for sore eyes.”

“Actually I’ve got something to show you,” Danny smiled as Steve sat on the end of the bed.

“Nothing I haven’t seen of yours before,” Steve said as he leaned back on his hands. “Although I have missed the view.”

“You haven’t seen everything,” Danny laughed, pulling off his t-shirt and tossing it aside.

Steve sat up, staring as his eyes landed on the markings on Danny’s chest, the right-hand side, just below his clavicle. It was a series of digits with a small design patterned like the many Danny had taken to designing for Steve.

“Come over here,” Steve urged and Danny grinned, sauntering across the room until Steve grabbed at the waistline of his pants and pulled him forward. “When did you-.”

“Couple of weeks ago, the day after you left,” Danny informed him. “I wanted it to be more or less healed before you got home.”

“May 18th,” Steve smiled, running his fingers over the spot gently. “And the design.”

“I wanted it to have a connection to you, to this new life,” Danny explained. “The one for Rachel, that’s for my old life.”

Danny caught a genuine look of sadness in Steve’s face before he pressed his forehead against his chest, arms wrapping around him, holding onto him. Ever since Steve had arrived home there had been a lingering sadness following him around and more than anything, Danny wanted to lift whatever it was haunting Steve.

“Babe, you know you can talk to me,” Danny soothed gently, hands rubbing over Steve’s strong shoulders in a gentle, circular motion. “I don’t need to know all the details, but I know there’s something wrong. Can’t you tell me what it is?”

“You know there are times- I like that I can’t bring the job home with me you know,” Steve said without lifting his head up from his chest. Instead he turned his face, cheek pressing against Danny’s chest instead. “There are things I’ve done – I don’t want to bring that between us, or back to Mary, keeping it separate makes it easier sometimes. I can leave it at the door.”

“But not every time,” Danny said knowingly, hugging him closer. “I respect the need for the privacy and secrecy around your job Steve, I get it, you know that right? Doesn’t mean I can’t be here for you, that you have to leave everything at the door. You aren’t a robot, I can’t imagine half the stuff expected of you when you’re sent on a mission and I’d be stupid to think you would come back every time without baggage.”

“I always found it easy to keep the job separate you know?” Steve said, voice faltering and Danny felt him give a small shudder, tugging at him tighter. Danny was alarmed, he’d not seen Steve so shaken up after a mission, so faltering in his character. “Like I said before I left though – this one was personal.”

“I wish you could explain it to me,” Danny sympathised.

“I can,” Steve told him quickly. “This one wasn’t so much top secret as – tough you know, personal and tough and I think I underestimated how much it was going to affect me.”

“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to,” Danny reminded him. “But you know I’m here for you babe. Always.”

“Give me some time okay? I will I just – not tonight,” Steve said, lifting his head to finally look at him, glassy eyed and looking wrung out emotionally even from that short conversation. Danny framed his face with his palms and smiled down at him, thumbs rubbing small circles on his cheeks. “On the plane ride home, all I wanted is to be here with you, where I can switch off, stop thinking so much. I can concentrate on you, you ground me in a way nobody else ever has.”

Danny leaned down and kissed him again softly before drawing away, "Let's get you to bed, under the covers this time, preferably naked - maybe after a good nights sleep I'll give you a proper welcome home."

Steve smiled and pulled him closer, pressing his face into his chest one last time, "I love you."

"Love you more," Danny smiled, giving him a squeeze. "Now c'mon, bed."


	27. Chapter 27

“His name was Freddie and – well, he was my best friend,” Steve sighed after a long pause in thought. “We went through most of our training together, even BUDs – hell week, fuck we got each other through. Wouldn’t let one another give up and there were times ringing that bell – we both came pretty close. But we got through it, we made it, got what we both wanted. We were assigned different teams but we were always in touch, met up when we could – like brothers you know? Neither of us had much in the way of family, so we were each other’s – he’d come to Hawaii for Thanksgiving and I’d be at his parents for Christmas. He included Mary in every invite and she still keeps in touch with his sisters.

So a few years ago I’d been on a mission tracking two brothers who were well-known arms dealers to terrorist groups around the world – the ones who could pay the money for their kind of supplies. These guys they were fucked up Danny, real scum of the Earth you know? So we got intel they were running a supply route through North Korea and the youngest brother was going to be there personally. It was dangerous, stealth mission – two man, under the radar, in out, little disturbance. They were running the weapons through a guerrilla group and I was brought in to take point, bring in the brother. I got to choose who I was taking with me and I chose Freddie, I knew he wouldn’t say no and I knew he was the best to watch my back. So we got the green light, went in only it was a bust – things got fucked up, I don’t even remember the details, just that it all went bad real fast. The good thing was I got the brother, the worst thing was I lost a brother – Freddie got hurt and I couldn’t get him out of there without compromising the mission which was to get the brother out alive. The mission always comes first – least that’s what’s drummed into you. Freddie told me to go and I did – I drove away while a gang of fucking ignorant sons of bitches surrounded him and filled him with bullets. I wanted to go back but I knew it would be suicide. I just kept driving.”

Danny didn’t say anything as Steve paused, scrubbing a hand over his face and glancing at him with glassy eyes. Steve grimaced and reached out to him, taking his hand.

“The mission I was sent on – it was to retrieve Freddie’s body. Agreements had been made, we give them back two of their people and we got his body. I was sent to make the exchange, ensure it went quickly and quietly and it did – right up until we were about to fly home. I don’t know why but I needed to see him, needed to see the body so I opened up the makeshift coffin they’d put him in. It was decayed so at first I couldn’t have known the difference – only he’d just had a fresh tat maybe a week before the mission – on his arm, of his wife’s name and a large heart. I’m not saying it’s the same thing but - you know how you can still see your dragon tattoo, it’s distorted because of the scars but it’s still there right? The body, it didn’t have any sign of a tattoo and I knew you know – I knew it wasn’t him. They’d just given us some random, decayed body and said it was him.”

“I’m so sorry babe,” Danny whispered quietly.

“Don’t be,” Steve shook his head, straightening his shoulders a little and looking him in the eye. “I wasn’t leaving without him, so I went in and took him myself. Took down a few of those sons of bitches while I did.”

There was something in the way Steve said it that gave Danny an insight into the kind of soldier Steve could be under the harshest, toughest of circumstances. A tough motherfucker SEAL. Danny felt a sense of pride in understanding more about that side of him and squeezed his hand a little tighter.

“Good Steve, I’m glad you got him back,” Danny told him.

“There’s going to be an official ceremony,” Steve said quietly in reflection. “A funeral.”

“Do you want me to come with you?” Danny asked him.

“You didn’t know him,” Steve shook his head with a small shrug.

“I know you,” Danny replied. “I want to be there for you and I want to pay my respects to someone who was obviously very important to you.”

“Thank you,” Steve smiled gratefully, looking relieved that he wouldn’t have to face it alone. “That means a lot to me Danny.”

“Well you mean a lot to me,” Danny smiled, standing up and leaning down to press a kiss to Steve’s forehead. “When is it?”

“Tomorrow,” Steve replied quietly. “They made time to fly in his family.”

“All right,” Danny nodded in understanding. “I’m going to call Kono, move a few appointments around-.”

“You – you really don’t have to Danny,” Steve assured him.

“Yes I do,” Danny said firmly.


	28. Chapter 28

“Last sitting,” Danny smiled as Steve slipped off his board shorts and underwear. “Shouldn’t take more than an hour.”

That tattoo had really taken form and Danny was adding some last details to finish it off. Steve lay back and let his leg fall naturally open for Danny to work on the inside of his thigh.

“So there was something I wanted to talk to you about,” Danny said as he began. “I dunno if Mary has mentioned it to you – I’m inviting you both back to New Jersey for Thanksgiving.”

“Really?” Steve said after a long pause. “You want me to meet your family?”

“Yeah,” Danny replied, pausing himself and glancing up at him with a scrutinising expression. “Why? Does that freak you out a little?”

Steve laughed and shook his head before relaxing back again, “No – that – that’d be nice Danny. I’d love to meet your family.”

“Great because my Ma wouldn’t have taken no for an answer,” Danny laughed, proceeding with his detailing here and there. “Mare is coming too.”

“Yeah?” Steve said quietly. “I – thank you, I’m sure she’s grateful too.”

“Yeah she was,” Danny agreed with a smile. “I got a Mary bear hug for it.”

“The best kind,” Steve laughed gently. “I’d hug you too under different circumstances.”

“Don’t worry, an eyeful of your cock makes up for it,” Danny teased.

“Anytime baby,” Steve grinned before lying still again. He’d found the spot on the inside of his thigh was particularly sensitive – the last sitting when Danny had worked there, Danny had complained about him squirming so much so he concentrated on keeping still. 

When Danny got to work, Steve could feel the prick of the needle nudging over his skin. Danny worked quick and efficiently and Steve really admired the art he’d inked onto him, especially now the piece was nearly done. He thought it a shame not many people would get to admire the tattoo, but it was also nice to have it just for himself, a little piece of Danny etched right into his skin. The needle pricked into a highly sensitive spot and Steve had to tense up to save from reacting to it.

“You okay?” Danny said as he paused, glancing up at him as he held the needle away.

“Uh huh,” Steve murmured quietly, trying not to let the sight of Danny leaning over him _right there_ looking up at him _like that_ go to his head. “A little sensitive right there.”

Danny smiled, “I’ll have to remember that for when it’s all healed up.”

Steve cracked a smile at his partners playful humour, though he didn’t doubt Danny would be true to his word. That gave him plenty to think about as Danny went to work again, because Steve had discovered Danny had a healthy appetite for sex which matched his own and he was especially dedicated to finding new ways of giving him pleasure. Steve knew Danny would pour a lot of energy in finding out how all his sensitive spots could be channelled into their sex life.

He listened to the hum of the needle for a while, turning his attention to the TV on the wall which Danny kept low in the background.

“You want the volume up?” Danny asked as he paused.

“No, it’s fine,” Steve assured him. “Hey D your family back home – they know about us right? I mean they don’t think you’re bringing home friends for the holidays or something.”

Danny paused and sat back, laughing softly, “Of course they know idiot. Why wouldn’t I tell them about you - us?”

“Well, you know, you were married to a woman,” Steve shrugged. “They might have assumed, if you’ve talked about me and Mare, that it’s her you’re with or - .”

“Uh no babe, I talk about Mary it’s like I’m talking about my sisters,” Danny assured him. “When I talk about you, they know who I’m in love and lust with. Not to burst your bubble but you aren’t the first man I’ve been with – my parents know I’m bi.”

“Okay, great, yeah,” Steve grinned. “No problem then.”

“You really think I’d do that to you?” Danny asked him.

“What?” Steve replied.

“Keep us a secret,” Danny said quietly.

“I didn’t mean it like that baby,” Steve shook his head. “It’s only – I – my parents didn’t know about me. Mom left before I really figured out for myself I was gay and my Dad – well after Mom left things changed for all of us. Our relationship wasn’t ever the same again, we became distant and I didn’t ever feel like I could really talk to him about it you know?”

“Well let me assure you, my parents know about us, they are happy for us and they really, really want to meet the guy I’m always talking to them about,” Danny smiled at him. “They are going to love you as much as I do. Well, maybe not as much – but pretty close.”

Steve smiled and Danny gave him a wink before leaning down to finish up. They fell companionably silent for the next twenty minutes and Steve felt his eyelids getting heavy the longer he lay there, the pain barely registering now.

“Wake up sleeping beauty,” Danny said, squeezing his knee gently. “You’re all done.”

Steve yawned lightly and gave a stretch before looking down at the finished piece, “It’s amazing Danny, thank you.”

“Thanks for being my canvas,” Danny grinned. “Think it’s one of my favourites pieces to date. Once it’s healed I want photos – discreet of course, although maybe I’ll keep one or two non-discreet ones for my personal collection.”

“Why when you get to see the real deal every day?” Steve laughed as he sat up.

“Need something for those long days and nights you’re on a mission,” Danny smiled. “Along with my imagination.”

“Dreaming up more fantasies baby?” Steve asked with a grin.

“You have no idea,” Danny laughed, cleaning and covering the area before tossing Steve his boardies. “I may tell you a new one later at home.”


	29. Chapter 29

“You keep standing admiring yourself in the mirror like that, I might start worrying your head is gonna explode from the ego,” Danny teased when he found Steve in the bedroom, naked in front of the mirror.

“I can see it better in the mirror,” Steve pointed out to him. “The full effect.”

“It did come out good didn’t it?” Danny smiled with a nod, pleased that Steve was pleased. The tattoo was fully healed now, no need for maintenance or covering it up and being careful.

“Good? It’s perfect baby,” Steve told him. “You’re amazing.”

“Well, you did inspire me,” Danny reminded him. “You and this crazy ass island you call home.”

“You mean we call home,” Steve smiled at him. 

Danny smiled, catching Steve’s eye in their reflections before he drew closer, pressing a soft kiss against Steve’s shoulder, “Yeah I guess I mean that,” he whispered against his skin.

“Uh, we only have a couple of hours to pack,” Steve reminded him as Danny slid a hand meaningfully across his stomach and dipped down to his dick. “And pick up Mare.”

“Please don’t talk about your sister while I’m fondling your cock babe,” Danny smiled, hand cupping over Steve’s cock and squeezing playfully. “Really offsets the mood.”

“Danny,” Steve said, giving a small gasp as Danny’s palm rubbed against his length.

“I can be quick,” Danny assured him. “You know that. It’ll relax you before the flight.”

“I’m not the nervous flier remember,” Steve reminded him.

“Fine, it’ll relax me before the flight,” Danny shrugged.

Steve groaned softly as he started becoming erect from Danny’s touch. Danny moved around to face him, tilting his head back to smile mischievously up at him.

“You just keep admiring the view in the mirror,” Danny grinned, leaning up to steal a quick kiss before he moved down, kissing along Steve’s neck, clavicle and chest, descending lower and lower, licking and kissing at his stomach as he got to his knees. Danny looked up at him with a playful smile. “At ease soldier, let me take care of you, add to all this hard work I’ve put in.”

Steve swallowed down and widened his stance, falling into ease position effortlessly, clasping his hands together at the small of his back, trying not to think too much on how natural it felt to take orders from Danny, how good it got sometimes when Danny took charge. It wasn’t always, but when it did happen it was a turn on.

“Danny, god baby,” Steve gasped as Danny took his cock firmly in hand, fingers a tight ‘o’ at the base as he guided the head between his lips. He wanted to reach down and run his fingers through Danny’s hair, urge his head down, urge his mouth to take him deeper but for the moment he kept his hands where Danny wanted them.

Danny didn’t waste any time, they were on a schedule – he eased Steve’s shaft into his mouth further, humming at the familiarity of girth and taste, how his lips stretched to take him in, tongue sliding along the underside. He knew Steve enjoyed that, loved the tight feeling he could create if he really pressed his tongue firmly against the shaft as he drew his cock in and out of his mouth.

“Oh my god,” Steve moaned out loudly, gasping, staring down at him then catching a glimpse of their reflections in the mirror. “Fuck – shit - yeah baby-.”

The way Danny sucked him down made Steve’s skin prickle, he tensed his thighs and locked his knees, moaning as Danny settled into a rhythm.

“Fuck your mouth baby,” Steve gasped in appreciation. Danny’s tongue was like a vice, the way it pressed against his shaft, making it a tight hole to be sucked int.o. Danny hummed, sending vibrations along his shaft and up his spine in anticipation. “Yeah that feels good – fuck you look good too.”

Steve stared at their reflections, how Danny bobbed up and down on his cock like he was feasting on a popsicle. His own stance, back straight, legs wide – the Navy had trained him well, but nothing could have prepared him for Danny Williams who seemed to tap into all his kinks when it came to sex, kinks he didn’t even realise he had. Such as taking orders or being a voyeur.

It was a turn on, seeing how he himself reacted as Danny went down on him. The pleasure he couldn’t hide from his face, the way his mouth shaped into an ‘o’ as he moaned, eyes dark with desire. His skin was flushed right down his neck and over his shoulders. Moving downwards, his muscles were flexed as he held still and there, Danny, fully clothed and on his knees between his thighs, swallowing down on his shaft with little effort.

“Danny,” Steve groaned sharply, his senses beginning to merge as he watched what he could feel being done to himself. It was hot, watching like this and he knew he needed to return the favour. He wanted Danny to see what he saw every time they made love like this. “Yeah baby, fuck, oh fuck.”

Danny was beginning to get faster, urging him on to the edge. Steve felt his body beginning to tremble and shiver, pleasure overriding his need to stay still and tense. He needed to move, needed to fuck Danny’s mouth and heighten that pleasure but he still held back, gave Danny that control to get him off how he wanted. In their reflection he watched as Danny’s shoulders moved, hands hidden from view but Steve groaned in acknowledgement. Danny was fumbling with his belt, then zipper until he groaned around his cock again in pleasure as he took himself in hand.

Steve moaned, feeling his legs shake, knees beginning to weaken at the sight. He gave up keeping his hands to himself, bringing them around, one sliding to the back of Danny’s head. Danny groaned again, working himself in the same rhythm he worked Steve’s shaft and he raised his eyes to stare up at him. Steve gasped out loudly at the look, dark and sharp with pleasure and lust.

“Fuck, yes, yeah – Danny – oh,” Steve groaned out, breath stuttering as he tried to fill his lungs. “Oh, jesus baby yeah, your mouth, fuck Danny. Danny.”

Danny hummed again, swallowing down around his cock, movement shallow now, keeping him deep, the rhythm steady. Steve could see his arm working faster and faster as he jerked off. Reaching down with both hands, Steve framed the sides of Danny’s head, holding him steady and giving a small cant of his hips. Danny didn’t resist and he did it again, moaning out as Danny moaned louder around his shaft.

“Yes, fuck baby, god you got me close,” Steve groaned happily, pleasure tingling up his spine. “Oh – fuck – yeah – yeah, work your cock, oh fuck.”

Steve knew he couldn’t hold back much longer, the wet warmth of Danny’s mouth was too inviting, the way his tongue worked his cock and moans vibrated over his sensitive shaft were too much to take to make it last. Then there was the sight of Danny, on his knees, sucking him off, enjoying every inch he was swallowing down around, working his own cock eagerly.

“Fuck baby I’m gonna come,” Steve warned him, slacking off his hold in case Danny wanted to pull away but when Danny didn’t he jerked his hips forward once, twice, Danny taking him every time. “Yeah make me come baby – fuck yeah – Danny – Danny!”

His orgasm hit him fast, balls emptying down Danny’s throat as he yelled out his name. Danny seemed to suck down every drop as he spurted over and over before he pulled off him, leaning back, growling and moaning, working his cock quickly in a tight grip. He stared up at Steve, drinking in the sight of his nakedness before he yelled incoherently, spittle and come shining on his lips and chin and he came, shuddering, hips canting into the open air as come spurted onto the floor in thick, creamy ribbons.

“Jesus,” Danny gasped under his breath as he came down from his high. “You’re a fucking walking turn on baby. Don’t know how I get through the day without jerking off every hour.”

Steve grinned, holding out a hand and helping him to his feet although he felt like he could lie down and nap right there and then. He pulled in Danny for a kiss, tasting himself on his lips and groaning in response. Pulling apart he laughed as Danny licked his lips, wiping his chin sloppily.

“Messy,” Steve shook his head at him.

“Not my fault your balls empty like geysers,” Danny laughed back at him. 

“Uh, I’m not the one who came all over the carpet,” Steve pointed out to him. “That’s one mess I’m not cleaning up.”


	30. Chapter 30

“Steve you coming? Bags are in the cab, we’re waiting on you,” Danny shouted from the front door impatiently. They were meeting Mary at the airport and he was eager to make a move. “Babe?”

Steve didn’t answer and Danny walked through the living room towards the kitchen, wondering if Steve was checking the back door – again.

“Steve, we gotta-,” Danny said, pausing as he found Steve on the phone, a serious look on his face. Steve’s eyes flickered over to him before he half turned away. Danny’s heart sank and he took a deep breath, waiting for the call to end and the bad news. He’d seen that face a hundred times before by now, he understood the situation, but it was still a sour start to what was supposed to be a special vacation for them.

“Understood, yes, I’ll report in at 0800, yes Sir,” Steve said before he disconnected. He lowered his hand, placed his phone on the counter top and stared out of the window. “There’s been a situation – I’ve been called in.”

“Figured,” Danny said with a small nod, trying not to sound as unhappy as he felt. It wasn’t Steve’s fault, it was part of his job to receive the last minute phone-calls, but once again Danny found their timing truly sucked. “I – I guess I’ll take your bags out of the cab.”

“I’m sorry Danny,” Steve sighed, turning to face him, looking upset. “It’s part of the job.”

“I know, I understand,” Danny said with a quick nod. “I’ll go get your stuff, you call Mary, she should know before I arrive at the airport alone. Assure her she is still coming, don’t let her feel weird about that.”

Before Steve could say anything Danny was out of the kitchen and heading outside, trying not to let his mood turn ugly. He kept telling himself it wasn’t Steve’s fault, but he reminded himself he was also allowed to be upset about the fact Steve’s job was cutting in on their life, even if he was understanding about it. Danny quickly explained to the cab driver the change of plans, taking Steve’s bag from the back of the cab and dumping it in the front hall. He caught Steve on the phone to Mary and waited for the conversation to end. Steve looked upset when he hung up and glanced over at him with worried eyes.

“She’s on her way to the airport,” Steve explained. “She’s not happy.”

“Well, it is nearly Thanksgiving,” Danny said irritably before biting his tongue.

“Danny-,” Steve said walking over to him. Danny shook his head and waved his hand at him.

“No, I – I’m sorry, it isn’t you fault I know that,” Danny said quickly. “Look I should go, cabs waiting, the fare isn’t getting any cheaper.”

“I don’t know how long this will take,” Steve told him, trying to sound positive. He could see Danny was upset and felt guilty for spoiling their first vacation together, even if it was out of his control. “Could be I catch up with you in a week.”

“Don’t make any promises you can’t keep,” Danny shook his head at him. “Don’t give me false hope baby. This sucks enough as it is.”

“I am sorry, but there’s nothing I can do about it,” Steve told him, feeling irked by Danny’s mood, even if it was a little justified. It wasn’t as if Steve was pleased he’d been called to something which, by the sounds of the phone call, was a very serious situation.

“I know, I know,” Danny nodded quickly, pulling him in for a hug. “I love you, stay safe and call me when you can.”

“I love you too,” Steve said quietly, squeezing him tight. “Give my love to the family and hug Mary for me.”

Danny pulled away, giving him a quick kiss before he left, pulling the door shut behind him. He couldn’t help feeling upset about it, which made him feel guilty and like shit for making the goodbye quick because who knew when they would see one another next. As he got in the cab he heard to front door open and Steve call out for him, but he just sank into his seat and told the driver to go. 

He didn’t want Steve to see him cry.

Steve shouted from the doorway, wanting one more hug or one more chance to say goodbye but the door slammed shut and the cab drove away. He considered calling but Danny was upset and Steve knew he wasn’t really taking it out on him, it was just frustrating sometimes. Instead he grabbed his bag and headed upstairs to pack for the mission instead, not knowing where they were sending him too. He didn’t need to be at the base for a few hours, though he’d be flying out immediately to an unconfirmed location to receive details. He couldn’t help question what the mission was if Joe White had personally called him to put him on duty.

He waited a half hour before he messaged Danny, knowing he was probably at the airport with Mary by then. Sometimes saying goodbye over and over, either face to face or over the phone was difficult and easy to drag out, but he felt he needed to message Danny something.

_‘Heading to base for 1600, flying out ASAP. I’ll call when I can. I’m sorry and I’ll make it up to you somehow, I promise. I love you, that’s what I’m thankful for this year. Meeting you.’_

Danny didn’t message him back for a full five minutes, long enough for Steve to worry that he wouldn’t get a reply at all.

_‘I’m sorry for acting like a jerk – you know I’m proud of you. I’m thankful of two things – You in my life and you fighting for our side. Go save the world and come back to me.’_

Steve smiled and pocketed his phone, wandering through the empty house wondering what the mission had in store this time. Joe always sounded serious, but something about his tone put Steve on edge. His phone pinged and he withdrew it again to read the message.

_‘PS - I love you too x’_


	31. Chapter 31

_One Week Later_

“Steve McGarrett, I’ve looked forward to meeting you most of my life.”

“Who are you?” Steve asked, wincing as chains pulled at his arms, raising them above his head and higher still. He had to stand on the balls of his bare feet just to keep his balance. “What do you want with us?”

“I want to talk. About you, about your life – about your mother.”

“My – my mother?” Steve questioned. “My mother’s dead.”

“Oh I assure you, Doris is alive, that is – does she still use the name Doris? It’s hard to keep track on a person who lives like a ghost.”

“My mother died years ago,” Steve lied through gritted teeth. Part of the training, don’t give them anything they want to know or could use against you. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

The pain from the blow to his stomach was intense, he lurched forward, groaning at the pull of his arms and shoulders as the chains held him in place.

“Let’s see if we can’t jog your memory.”

“I – who are you?” Steve asked, catching his balance again and trying to channel the pain.

“My name is Wo Fat – we meet at last. Brother.”

~ fin ~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I figured this fic could go on and on and on, but I also found I was losing some momentum in the story telling and searching for ways to lift it up again. I do have ideas to drive the story, but I don’t want to churn out the chapters just because. 
> 
> So I’ve decided to leave it here, with plenty of threads going forward. I want to explore Danny’s New Jersey life and history, what he has to contend with ‘back home’ as well as Steve’s situation now that I’ve introduced his arch nemesis Wo Fat into the mix and how his relationship with Doris will have repercussions in his current life, as well as how he and Danny will deal with the fallout of this new enemy he now has.
> 
> But for now, I’m closing this opener of the series – I wrote this fic as a one piece flash challenge fic to try and muster up the muse and some energy back into my writing. It really took on a life of its own and I’m amazed and hugely grateful for the amount of love and support it’s received. 
> 
> I will definitely be writing a sequel, but I do have other projects – and don’t you just love a cliffhanger?!


End file.
